barca-demolish-dortmund-4-0-to-storm-into-cl-semi-final

Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski delivered a resounding performance as Barcelona trounced Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday, positioning the Catalan club favourably to reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2019.

 

Lewandowski struck twice, while Raphinha registered a goal and an assist. Lamine Yamal also found the net, ensuring a night to forget for the visitors and a daunting challenge ahead in next week’s return leg in Dortmund.

 

"We played very well but we can't be thinking about the semifinals yet," Lewandowski said after the match.

 

"We scored four goals at home but we still have the return leg to play."

 

Raphinha, the tournament’s top scorer, broke the deadlock in the 25th minute by prodding the ball into an open net — his 12th Champions League goal of the season. He then assisted Lewandowski’s first goal in the 48th minute.

 

The Polish striker’s second came in the 66th with a precise one-timer, taking his tally to 11 goals in the current European campaign. Yamal rounded off the scoreline in the 77th minute, giving Barcelona a dominant edge ahead of the second leg.

 

Lewandowski, 36, has now netted 14 Champions League goals after turning 35 — two more than Cristiano Ronaldo. He had scored 17 of his 105 career Champions League goals during his stint with Dortmund from 2011 to 2014.

 

“In my head I always want to be helping the team with my quality and my goals,” said Lewandowski, who also leads the Spanish league charts with 25 goals and has now scored 40 goals in all competitions this season.

 

“A striker always needs to be thinking about scoring goals, and when the team plays well it becomes easier for me.”

 

Raphinha, meanwhile, has now scored in four consecutive Champions League knockout matches, notching seven goals in that span. He had entered the night with 11 goals, ahead of Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy and Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane.

 

Elsewhere on Wednesday, a spectacular goal from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia overshadowed a curling strike by teammate Désiré Doué as Paris Saint-Germain defeated Aston Villa 3-1 in their quarter-final clash.