Borussia Dortmund 2-3 FC Barcelona: Spektakulär!

FC Barcelona have made it five wins a row in the Champions League after coming out tops in a simply fantastic game of football at the wonderful Westfalenstadion.

Three times they took the lead, but while Dortmund found an answer to the first two Barça goals, they were unable to respond to substitute Ferran Torres’ second goal on 85 minutes.

The win moves the Catalans up to a brilliant second in the League Phase table, with only Liverpool able to boast a better record with just two games to go. That still doesn’t quite confirm that Barça will be among the all-important top eight at the end of it all, but today’s three points leave them in a very, very strong position indeed.

What the result does confirm is that Barça will at least be in the playoffs. Not that that was ever in much doubt anyway...

Thrilling football

The game certainly lived up to all the pre-game hype. Barça were combining frenetic energy with exquisite football and Lamine Yamal in particular was everywhere. Creating chances for others and attempting shots of his own, he was certainly making his presence felt above the Yellow Wall of noise coming from the astonishing home supporters.

However, although the run of the play was largely against them, and Gregor Kobel was a very busy man indeed defending their net, Dortmund managed to create some danger too. Had it not been for some untidy finishing, either side could have been ahead, with Raphinha of Barça and Marcel Sabitzer of Borussia particularly frustrated not to tuck respective chances away.

Barça had the game in their grasp, but by half-time the scoreboard hadn’t budged, and the home side were growing in confidence.

Raphinha opener cancelled from penalty spot

Indeed, they were the first side to get the ball in the net, but there had clearly been an offside in the build-up. Moments later, Raphinha was on the end of Dani Olmo’s pass but despite his brilliant finish, there was a concern that his goal would also get chalked off. But VAR confirmed that the referee was right all along. It was a matter of millimetres, but there was nothing wrong with the Brazilian’s position and Barça were off the mark!

The celebrations among the 3,000+ Barça fans in the stadium were short-lived. Barely five minutes later Dortmund were back level from the penalty spot. Pau Cubarsí was the ‘culprit’, although it was a very soft push in the back that he was punished for. Serhou Guirassy, the recipient of said shove and also the same man whose earlier goal had been disallowed for offside, made no mistake from the spot. All square again.

Dortmund respond again

Barça didn’t deserve that and were keen to set things straight. Kobel produced a stunning save to deny Olmo and then another against a blinding strike from Fermin Lopez. But he couldn’t hold onto the latter and there was Ferran Torres, recently on for the hurt Raphinha, to slam the ball home.

But again Dortmund hit straight back. Barça paid the price for their high defensive line, and Iñaki Peña was also caught out for straying too far out. Guirassy was gifted an empty net to shoot into. A second goal for the Guinean. It was now 2-2, and the momentum was swinging very much in favour of the team in yellow.

Definitive at last!

But just when it looked like things might all go horribly wrong, a poorly judged Borussia pass gave Barça the opening they needed. Lamine’s culminating pass was an absolute pearl, and Torres did it justice by slotting it past Kobel. For the third time in this exhilarating game, Barça were ahead and time was running out for the Germans.

There were a few heart-stopping moments as Dortmund looked to snatch a late equaliser, but Barça held on. Borussia had never beaten Barça before, and that record holds.

The Champions League resumes in late January when Barça will first travel to Benfica and then take on Atalanta at the Estadi Olimpic.