Who: Barcelona vs Borussia Dortmund
What: UEFA Champions League quarterfinal, leg 1
The place: Olympic Stadium, Barcelona
When: Wednesday at 9pm native (19:00 GMT)
Comply with Al Jazeera Sport’s dwell textual content and picture commentary stream.
LaLiga leaders Barcelona host Borussia Dortmund on the Olympic Stadium within the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals on Wednesday. It’s the first time the edges have met within the knockout stage of the event.
Barcelona, chasing their first Champions League trophy since 2015, are favourites for the opening leg and are unbeaten in 2025.
Borussia Dortmund, who have been the Champions League runners-up to Actual Madrid final season, is once more eyeing a spot within the final 4 for the second successive yr.
Right here is all to know earlier than the quarterfinal opener between two of Europe’s strongest soccer golf equipment:
Have Dortmund ever overwhelmed Barcelona in European competitors?
No. Barcelona are unbeaten of their 5 earlier conferences in opposition to Borussia Dortmund (W3, D2), together with a group-stage victory over the German membership on this season’s UEFA Champions League on December 11, 2024.
What number of video games in a row is Barcelona’s 2025 unbeaten streak?
The Catalan giants haven’t misplaced of their final 22 video games throughout all competitions.
What occurred the final time these sides met?
Barcelona gained their UEFA Champions League group match 3-2 away at Dortmund’s BVB Stadion in December in what may finest be described as a topsy-turvy encounter.
In a far-from-convincing victory, Barcelona twice gained a lead on the scoreboard, just for ahead Serhou Guirassyas to equalise twice for Dortmund.
It took substitute Ferran Torres’s Eighty fifth-minute winner to lastly separate the edges for good and safe the three factors for the Catalans.
Crew information: Barcelona
Barcelona are nonetheless with out key midfielder Dani Olmo for the primary leg in opposition to Dortmund. There’s a chance he may return for the second leg on April 15.
Centre-back Pau Cubarsi is again with the group after serving a one-game suspension and he’s a excessive likelihood to start out.
Striker Robert Lewandowski will line up in opposition to his former group; the Polish star performed for Borussia Dortmund from 2010 to 2014, kicking 74 objectives in 131 appearances for the membership.
Barcelona will once more roll out their world-class winger partnership of Raphinha and Lamine Yamal to play behind Lewandowski.
Crew information: Dortmund
Dortmund will enter Wednesday’s match with out the companies of Austrian worldwide midfielder Marcel Sabitzer and defender Nico Schlotterbeck, who’re each out with harm.
Versatile defensive midfielder Pascal Gross will even miss the encounter after accumulating a second yellow card within the group’s final Champions League fixture of their spherical of 16 second-leg conflict in opposition to Lille.
Ahead Serhou Guirassy, who’s at present equal third in complete objectives scored within the German Bundesliga, will once more look to use the Barcelona defence, as he did repeatedly of their Champions League group fixture the final time they met again on December 11.
Attainable lineups:
Barcelona potential beginning XI (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Balde; de Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Gavi, Raphinha; Lewandowski
Dortmund potential beginning XI (4-2-3-1): Kobel; Ryerson, Can, Anton, Bensebaini; Nmecha, Chukwuemeka; Adeyemi, Brandt, Beier; Guirassy
Type information
Barcelona:
Barcelona ends in their final 5 matches (throughout all competitions):
D-W-W-W-W (most up-to-date consequence first)
Dortmund:
Dortmund ends in their final 5 matches (throughout all competitions):
W-W-L-W-L (most up-to-date consequence first)
What the managers needed to say
Hans Flick, Barcelona: “Dortmund are a really secure group they usually play very attacking soccer. However we’ve been taking part in effectively at house and away within the Champions League. Niko [Kovac] will be capable of subject lineup [regardless of their injury situation]. They’re sturdy defensively and I want all the perfect to their injured gamers. They’ve excellent gamers, and it’s a disgrace [about their injuries], however they’ve sufficient gamers to cowl their absences.”
Niko Kovac, Dortmund: “We [Flick and I] know one another effectively and respect one another as folks. We additionally know the way we view one another’s soccer. We’re conscious of the standard of Barcelona’s forwards, and we’ll must defend effectively. We need to make the most of their weaknesses, and we come right here to attempt to win the sport. I believe Barca are favourites tomorrow, however Dortmund performed in final season’s ultimate. Something is feasible right here. We’re a little bit of an underdog, however that doesn’t essentially work in Barcelona’s favour.”