Borussia Dortmund hosted Barcelona for an end-to-end display at the Westfalenstadion. Tactical tweaks from Nuri Şahin and Barcelona’s firepower contributed to a superb match that, unfortunately, ended in an 85th-minute loss for the home side.
Both sides created their chances in the first half, with Julien Duranville terrorizing Barcelona’s backline and Gregor Kobel putting on a vintage display. However, things began to kick off in the second half as Raphinha slotted home the go-ahead goal for Barcelona. Dortmund responded quickly with a penalty from Serhou Guirassy, but the back-and-forth continued as Ferran Torres notched a second for the away side 13 minutes later. Guirassy responded again five minutes later, but the away side got the last laugh in the 85th minute.
It was Dortmund’s first home loss of the season, but the side showed great fight despite mounting injuries.
Here are my thoughts from tonight’s 3-2 loss to Barcelona.
Nuri Şahin’s Gamble Worked
Borussia Dortmund’s lineup coming into this game shocked everyone but Nuri Şahin. The young tactician unleashed a starting XI that featured Giovanni Reyna and Julien Duranville - two players who have played less than 200 minutes this season. It was a gamble to give Dortmund additional verticality in the form of Duranville and someone who can find runners in Giovanni Reyna.
Borussia Dortmund v FC Barcelona - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 Photo by Pau Barrena/Getty Images
Both players did very well. Duranville acted as Dortmund’s primary outlet while on the field and continued to threaten Álex Balde and Barcelona’s left flank. I was particularly impressed with his crosses into the box. Reyna was not as prolific, but the young USMNT player provided a threat on the ball that is hard to find when Julian Brandt is out. Duranville’s cross led to Dortmund’s penalty, and Reyna looked lively throughout. Şahin’s gamble paid off, and although it's still too early to tell, it seems like he may be growing into his role despite tonight’s loss.
A Game Played in Transition
Both teams sought to play vertical soccer with runners in behind, and both succeeded in doing so. Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, and substitute Ferran Torres sought to run in behind every time the Catalans got the ball. Julien Duranville and Jamie Gittens acted as the runners for Dortmund. With the match often turning into a foot race, the result came down to the defenses’ transitional play and how clinical the forwards were.
Barcelona showcased what they have all season—Europe’s best transitional defense. Hansi Flick’s Barcelona have caught opponents offside 104 times this season. The next closest is 55. Dortmund’s runners were repeatedly called offside as Barcelona’s backline was quick to react and aware of their position. When Borussia Dortmund did get their timing right, Barcelona’s players did well to track back and suffocate any attacks. Dortmund were caught offside six times during this match.
Borussia Dortmund’s makeshift backline wasn’t quite as polished. Nico Schlotterbeck, who may have destroyed his ankle in the final moments of the game, was immense, but their offside failed across the board. Ramy Bensebaini, Julian Ryerson, and Emre Can struggled to keep pace and understandably lacked cohesion. They failed to catch Barcelona offside once and suffered two fast-break goals from Raphinha and Torres.
BVB’s Shooting Struggles
Dortmund’s attack also struggled to convert its chances. Both teams put up similar non-penalty xG: Dortmund’s 2.04 to Barcelona’s 2.17. The home side managed one goal from open play, while the hosts scored three. This came down to differences in finishing. Despite his two goals, Serhou Guirassy had a string of bad misses, and Marcel Sabitzer failed to put the ball in the back of the net after a fantastic cutback from Duranville.
With the dust settled, Dortmund missed four big chances, while Barcelona only missed one.
Borussia Dortmund v FC Barcelona - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images
Your Thoughts?
Did you enjoy the game? What was your moment of the match? Are your UCL dreams shattered like Schlotterbeck’s ankle?