Dortmund v Barcelona: Can BVB Pull Off a Champions League Miracle at Home?
Borussia Dortmund face a huge task when they host Barcelona in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final at Signal Iduna Park on Tuesday night.
Dortmund must attempt what only one team – Barcelona themselves – has ever done in the competition’s history: come back from a 4-0 first-leg defeat to stay alive. The German side were heavily beaten at the Camp Nou last week, with Robert Lewandowski scoring twice against his former club, and Raphinha and 16-year-old Lamine Yamal also getting on the scoresheet.
That result has given Barcelona a massive advantage, and they look set for a semi-final clash with either Inter Milan or Bayern Munich. Dortmund now need a miracle – something similar to Barca’s famous remontada against PSG in 2017 – to turn the tie around.
Dortmund’s Struggles at Home
While Dortmund showed some spirit in their 2-2 draw away to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga on Saturday, their recent home form is far from encouraging. They’ve only managed three wins from their last 12 games at Signal Iduna Park.
That poor run includes a 3-2 loss to Barcelona earlier this season in the group stage. In fact, BVB haven’t beaten the Spanish side in their last six European meetings. Only against Rangers – between 1996 and 1999 – have they had a longer winless run in Europe.
Barcelona’s Fantastic Form
Barcelona, meanwhile, are flying under head coach Hansi Flick. The Catalan giants are unbeaten in 24 matches in 2025 and are chasing a historic quadruple. They sit comfortably at the top of La Liga, have already won the Spanish Super Cup, and will play Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final later this month.
Barca are also on an eight-game away winning streak and haven’t lost on the road since November. With dominant wins over both Dortmund and Bayern this season, Flick’s side have re-established their strength against German teams.
Team News
Dortmund welcome back Pascal Gross from suspension, and he is expected to start in midfield again. However, Niko Kovac’s side are still without Marcel Sabitzer and Nico Schlotterbeck due to knee injuries, and Emre Can is a doubt with a muscle problem.
Barcelona have their own injury concerns. Left-back Alejandro Balde picked up a hamstring injury at the weekend and will be out until the end of April. Gerard Martin should replace him in defence. Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Marc Bernal, and Marc Casado are also sidelined.
Raphinha has a slight ankle problem and may be rested, giving Ferran Torres a chance to start. Dani Olmo is back in the squad but might not start, while Fermin Lopez is expected to continue in the attacking midfield role.
Probable Lineups
Borussia Dortmund: Kobel; Ryerson, Süle, Anton, Bensebaini; Gross, Nmecha; Gittens, Brandt, Adeyemi; Guirassy
Barcelona: Szczesny; Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Martin; Pedri, De Jong; Yamal, Lopez, Torres; Lewandowski
