Barcelona took a significant step toward securing an automatic berth in the Champions League Round of 16 with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park. After a subdued first half, the match exploded into life, with Ferran Torres coming off the bench to score twice and secure Barça’s fifth consecutive League Phase win, lifting them to second in the standings with two games left.
The first half saw Barcelona dominate possession but struggle to create clear chances, with Gregor Kobel making routine saves. Dortmund, meanwhile, relied on counter-attacks through the pace of their wingers and the physicality of Serhou Guirassy, whose threat was repeatedly neutralized by Barça’s effective offside trap. Despite flashes of frustration from Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, who were often left unrewarded for their attacking runs, the first period ended goalless.
The second half began with high drama as Dortmund thought they’d scored through Guirassy, only for the offside trap to deny them again. Moments later, Barça capitalized on a defensive lapse when Dani Olmo’s pass sent Raphinha through to blast home the opener.
The lead didn’t last long, as Pau Cubarsà fouled Guirassy in the box, leading to a penalty that the striker converted to level the game. Manager Hansi Flick responded with a triple substitution, introducing Frenkie de Jong, FermÃn López, and Ferran Torres, who made an immediate impact. Torres scored from a rebound to restore Barça’s lead, but Dortmund quickly hit back when Pascal Gross set up Guirassy for his second goal of the night.
With the match wide open and the atmosphere electric, Torres sealed the victory five minutes from time, finishing off a counter-attack set up by Lamine Yamal. Dortmund pushed for a late equalizer, but Nico Schlotterbeck missed a golden chance in the dying seconds, and Barcelona held on for the win.
In a game full of twists and turns, Barça’s resilience and clinical finishing proved decisive as they inched closer to the knockout stages.
