Borussia Dortmund stand at the edge of a cliff—and Barcelona are the ones who pushed them there.
After being dismantled 4-0 in the first leg at the Olympic Stadium, BVB return home to Signal Iduna Park with pride on the line and a miracle on their minds. The famous Yellow Wall will be roaring louder than ever, hoping to fuel an impossible comeback under the lights on Tuesday night.
But Barcelona arrive in Germany knowing full well the job isn’t done. The Catalan giants may have one foot in the semi-finals, but they’ll need ice in their veins to survive 90 minutes in Dortmund’s fortress. The stakes? A ticket to face either Bayern Munich or Inter Milan in a mouthwatering Champions League semi-final.
This isn’t just another second leg—it’s a battle between belief and inevitability.
Borussia Dortmund find themselves languishing in eighth place in the Bundesliga standings—a far cry from the title-chasing heights they once knew. While their season has been marred by inconsistency, a spirited 2-2 draw with fierce rivals Bayern Munich over the weekend showed there’s still fire in this side. Now, they’ll need more than fire—they’ll need a footballing miracle under the lights at Signal Iduna Park.
Pascal Gross, who was suspended for the first leg, returns to the fold and will slot straight back into the midfield engine room. His presence will be crucial as Dortmund look to orchestrate an extraordinary comeback.
But it’s not all good news for boss Niko Kovac. Marcel Sabitzer and Nico Schlotterbeck remain sidelined with knee injuries—the latter potentially out for the remainder of the season. Still, Kovac will take solace in having a mostly full squad to call upon as he draws up his most daring blueprint yet.
Desperation breeds innovation, and while Kovac has experimented with a three-man backline, the situation now calls for bold, attacking football. Expect a switch back to a 4-2-3-1 setup, with Niklas Süle making way and Dortmund throwing everything forward in pursuit of the impossible.
DORTMUND predicted lineup vs BARCELONA: Kobel (GK); Ryerson, Can, Anton, Bensebaini; Gross, Nmecha; Gittens, Brandt, Adeyemi; Guirassy.
Barcelona march into the second leg at Signal Iduna Park with wind in their sails and the weight of expectation on their shoulders. Sitting proudly atop the La Liga table and holding a commanding 4-0 lead from the first leg, the Blaugrana are tantalisingly close to punching their ticket to the Champions League semi-finals. But they know full well—Dortmund at home is no walk in the park.
Their narrow 1-0 win over Leganés at the weekend extended their unbeaten run, but it came at a cost. Alejandro Balde limped off with a hamstring issue that will sideline him for the rest of the month, forcing head coach Hansi Flick to shuffle his backline once again. Young Gerard Martin is expected to step in and take on the responsibility in the lion’s den of Dortmund.
The injury list remains a concern. Ter Stegen, Casado, Bernal—all sidelined with knee problems—won’t feature in Germany. Dani Olmo is also set to miss out, still nursing a nagging adductor injury. But Barcelona's strength in depth continues to shine through.
Fermín López, who delivered a brilliant assist for Lewandowski’s second goal in the first leg, is in pole position to start in the No. 10 role again, likely keeping Gavi on the bench. Barcelona may have one foot in the final four, but with a cauldron of yellow and black awaiting them, they’ll need to be flawless once more.
BARCELONA predicted lineup vs DORTMUND: Szczesny (GK); Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Martin; Pedri, De Jong; Yamal, Lopez, Raphinha; Lewandowski.
With Lamine Yamal lighting up the flanks and Robert Lewandowski back to his ruthless best, Barcelona have evolved into a fearsome attacking unit under Hansi Flick’s watchful eye. The chemistry between the veteran striker and the teenage sensation has been electric—and it’s one of the key reasons the Catalans are not just leading La Liga, but also cruising through Europe.
Still, history looms large. Barcelona know better than most that no Champions League lead is truly safe. Memories of past collapses serve as a cautionary tale—this team cannot afford to switch off for even a second.
Borussia Dortmund, for their part, will have 80,000 voices roaring behind them at Signal Iduna Park. The Yellow Wall never stops believing, and while the odds are stacked against them, Dortmund have built a reputation on nights like these—when everything seems lost, and yet the fire still burns.
It’s a mountain to climb, but if there's ever a place for miracles, it’s under the lights in Dortmund.
Prediction: Barcelona wins & over 2.5.
