Dortmund and PSG reach the semi-finals

Borussia Dortmund reached the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time in eleven years. BVB won the quarter-final second leg against Atletico Madrid 4:2 (2:0). Coach Edin Terzic’s team lost the first leg in Spain 1-2.

In front of 81,365 spectators, Julian Brandt (34′), Ian Maatsen (39′), Niclas Füllkrug (71′) and Marcel Sabitzer (74′) scored the goals for BVB. Paris had meanwhile equalized 2-2 thanks to an own goal from Mats Hummels (49′) and Angel Correa (64′).

Dortmund last reached the round of the last four teams in 2012/13, when they only reached the final against Bayern Munich.

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PSG after victory in Barcelona in the semi-finals

Paris St. Germain also reached the semi-finals of the Champions League after a show of strength. The French champions around superstar Kylian Mbappe won at FC Barcelona 4-1 (1-1) after falling behind thanks to a long majority and moved into the semi-finals of the premier class for the fourth time. PSG will now face Borussia Dortmund there.

Ex-Dortmunder Ousmane Dembele (40′), Vitinha (53′) and Mbappe (61′, penalty kick/89′) scored in front of 50,309 fans in the Olympic Stadium for coach Luis Enrique’s team, which won the first leg on their own Stadium lost 2:3. Barca initially took the lead thanks to Raphinha (12′), who was successful twice in the first leg. However, after the red card against Ronald Araujo for an emergency stop (29′), the game ended.

Barca therefore has to wait for its first semi-final appearance since 2019, and Ilkay Gündogan and Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s dream of winning the pot was also shattered. PSG also took revenge for their exit in the round of 16 in 2017. At that time, Barcelona had turned a 0-4 defeat in Paris into a spectacular 6-1.

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“We’ll turn things around,” Enrique had said before kick-off, but his team was initially far from a miracle. Barca took an early lead when Raphinha converted a pass from 16-year-old Lamine Yamal. The teenager is the youngest player to ever appear in a Champions League quarter-final – just ahead of his teammate Pau Cubarsi (17′), who was also in the starting line-up.

However, after Araujo was shown a red card, Paris was in control and Dembele shot the ball under the crossbar to equalize. The very rich club from Paris, which has never won the Champions League despite spending millions on Lionel Messi, who has long since left the club, and Mbappe, who left in the summer, now put constant pressure on Ter Stegen.

With success: Vitinha made it 2-1. In return, Gündogan hit the post. His coach Xavi was terribly upset about this and kicked a banner towards the fourth official. The Spaniard was shown a red card for this (56′). Just five minutes later, Mbappe made it 3-1 from the spot, and the final score also went to the vice world champion.