PREVIEW | Borussia Dortmund v FC Barcelona

Half a decade is far too long a time for FC Barcelona not to have played in a Champions League semi-final. Hopefully the wait is over as they travel to Germany for a date with Borussia Dortmund at the Westfalenstadion in the most extraordinarily positive of circumstances (Tuesday 9pm CEST).

Thanks to a stunning 4-0 win in the first leg at the Estadi Olimpic, Barça are utterly in control of the tie, and barring an absolute disaster, can now confirm their place in the last four of Europe's premier club competition.

But Hansi Flick insisted in his pre-game press conference that he is leaving nothing to chance. It's extremely unlikely that Dortmund will be able to turn around a 4-0 deficit, but it's not something that's never been done before. In 2017, Barça did precisely that when they bounced back from a similar defeat at PSG to win 6-1. So nobody is counting their chickens quite yet.

Win last time

That said, Barça have every reason to feel confident that they can qualify. What's more, it was only last December that they last played Dortmund at their stadium, and much as it was a very tough encounter indeed, they came away 3-2 victors, Ferran Torres the hero with his second half brace.

Eighth in the Buindesliga, Dortmund are not having the best of seasons by their usual high standards, although at the weekend they managed a commendable 2-2 draw in Der Klassiker away to league leaders Bayern Munich.

The importance of that game, with a European place in the balance, meant they could not afford to rotate anyone at the weekend, a factor that should also play into Barça's hands. 

Team news

Barça. meanwhile, held onto the four-point lead at the top of La Liga, but not without immense difficulty, eventually edging a 1-0 win at Leganés. They come into this game with some good news and some bad. Dani Olmo is fit again and has been included in the travelling party, but Alejandro Balde suffered an injury at Butarque and will be sitting this one out.

As for players on a yellow card, there's just one. Iñigo Martinez would miss the first leg of a hypothetical semi-final should he get booked.

And that semi-final will be against one of two sides that have caused problems for Barça in the recent past, either Inter Milan or Bayern Munich. The Italians are in pole position in that one, having won 2-1 in Germany last week. The second leg at the Giuseppe Meazza is being played on Wednesday.

Dortmund, meanwhile, are again without two key men in the injured Sabitzer and Schlotterbeck, but the belief in their camp is they have nothing to lose and may as well go out and give this game the best shot they can. Barça may not been under maximum pressure in this one, but that certainly does not mean they can afford to relax.

What they're saying

Shortly after his team arrived in his homeland on Monday, Barça coach Hansi Flick spoke to the press, saying ""I was very happy to win 4-0 at Montjuïc, but tomorrow will not be an easy game. The team should enjoy what they're doing, and we are ready to do it. We want to play well for ourselves and also for the travelling fans who always support us. We won't let our concentration drop." FULL STORY HERE

Wojciech Szczęsny, for whom this stadium hold special significance, added that "We have played against some tough teams and tomorrow we will do so again. Everyone thinks this is over but it is not. If we let them, they have a chance. For that reason we have to focussed and go for it. We have to think about winning the game." FULL STORY HERE