obert Lewandowski haunted his former club, Borussia Dortmund, scoring twice as Barcelona cruised to a dominant 4-0 victory in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on Wednesday night. The emphatic win extends Barcelona’s unbeaten streak in all competitions to an impressive 23 games (19 wins, 4 draws), fueling their aspirations for a potential treble.
Barcelona, under the guidance of Hansi Flick, started the match with intent, creating early opportunities for Lamine Yamal and Lewandowski. The breakthrough came courtesy of this season’s Champions League top scorer, Raphinha, who slid in at the far post to convert, albeit in a close offside call. Earlier, Raphinha had also denied teammate Pau Cubarsi a potential first Champions League goal, clearing the defender’s goal-bound effort.
Dortmund showed glimpses of a response in the first half, with Carney Chukwuemeka’s attempt blocked by Cubarsi and Serhou Guirassy firing into the side netting. However, Niko Kovac’s side failed to capitalize on these moments.
After the restart, Jamie Gittens fired wide for Dortmund, but it was Lewandowski who soon stole the spotlight. Raphinha was once again instrumental, heading Yamal’s cross into the path of the Polish striker, who nodded in from close range. This marked Lewandowski’s remarkable 28th goal in 28 appearances against his former employers.
Fermin Lopez missed a golden opportunity to extend Barcelona’s lead, but the third goal arrived shortly after in stunning fashion. A swift Barcelona counterattack saw Yamal thread a delightful pass to Fermin, who unselfishly laid it off for Lewandowski to clinically fire past Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
Barcelona wasn’t done yet, adding a fourth goal to further punish a struggling Dortmund side. Raphinha turned provider, delivering a sublime assist for the young Yamal to finish with equal composure.
This commanding performance and result will undoubtedly send a strong message to the rest of Europe. Lewandowski’s stellar performance will dominate headlines, as he etched his name in Champions League history by becoming the first player to score 10 or more goals in a single season for three different clubs: Dortmund, Bayern Munich, and now Barcelona.
For Borussia Dortmund, the wait for a victory against Barcelona continues, now spanning six encounters (2 draws, 4 losses). Barring an extraordinary turnaround in the second leg next week, their Champions League journey appears to be nearing its end.
