Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona

Out-of-sorts Borussia Dortmund will try to overcome a significant 4-0 first-leg loss when they meet Barcelona in the return leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie at Signal Iduna Park.

Borussia Dortmund became the 160th team to lose the first leg of a Champions League knockout tie via 4+ goals, with 158 of the previous 159 sides suffering elimination after the second leg. Therefore, the Germans’ chances of progressing into the semi-finals are minimal, not least because they’ve never beaten Barcelona in major European competitions (D2, L4). Signal Iduna Park has lost its ‘fortress’ tag lately, with Niko Kovac’s side picking up just three wins across their last 12 home outings (D5, L4). That run includes a 3-2 loss to Barcelona. Interestingly, all three goals in that defeat came in the second half, forming part of Dortmund’s ominous pattern of conceding 15 of their 18 Champions League goals this term beyond halftime. 

Meanwhile, Barcelona took another important step toward dethroning Real Madrid in La Liga with a narrow 1-0 win at Leganes, strengthening their hopes of achieving an unprecedented quadruple. Hansi Flick’s side set one foot in their first Champions League semi-final appearance since 2018/19 with a dominant first-leg performance. However, they’ll unlikely rest on their laurels after winning all three Champions League encounters against German opposition this season. Buoyed by a remarkable 24-game unbeaten run in 2025 (W20, D5), ‘Los Blaugranas’ head into proceedings seeking their ninth consecutive away win in all competitions. There is a note of caution as they’ve conceded 2+ goals in five of their last six Champions League outings on the road.