Leaving Nou Camp empty-handed

Last weekend, coach Hansi Flick's team stumbled against Real Betis when they were held to a draw in La Liga. However, this draw did not seriously affect Barca's leading position in La Liga, they even widened the gap to 4 points more than Real Madrid in the championship race, when the "white vultures" lost at home. Temporarily putting aside the unfortunate draw against Real Betis, this midweek Barca will host Dortmund, an opponent they defeated 3-2 in the qualifying round right on German soil in December 2024. Barca have never lost in the previous 5 encounters with Dortmund and this time is no exception. Coach Flick increased his personal winning record against the Ruhr team to 8 after the final whistle at the Nou Camp.

Traveling to Barca's Nou Camp, the German team's task of finding a favorable result is not simple. Looking at Barca's current impressive form, the team is currently on a 22-match unbeaten streak, winning 18 matches, Dortmund's belief in victory is even more shaken. On the other hand, Spain is always a "dangerous land" for Dortmund when they only won 3 out of 20 away matches here, including a 2-5 defeat to Real Madrid in the qualifying round at the beginning of this season. Not to mention, Dortmund's current form does not bring peace of mind, when coach Niko Kovac, despite his best efforts, is still unstable, winning only 3 out of the last 6 matches. This is what makes Dortmund currently "stuck" in 8th place on the Bundesliga rankings. Gaining points against Barca at this time is difficult, so winning is an almost "impossible" task for Niko Kovac and his team. And Dortmund left the Nou Camp empty-handed.

Entering the match, right from the first minutes, Barca created terrible pressure in front of Dortmund's goal. After a few missed opportunities, coach Flick's team opened the score in the 25th minute. From a direct free kick, Cubarsi shot the ball towards Dortmund's goal. Seizing the opportunity, Raphinha leaned forward to cushion the ball into the net. However, this was the most notable situation in the first half. Because in the remaining minutes, both teams were deadlocked in finding the opponent's net.

Three minutes into the second half, Barcelona doubled their lead when Yamal crossed the ball precisely to Raphinha. Raphinha then headed it in for Lewandowski. In a comfortable position, Lewandowski made it 2-0. Less than 20 minutes later, Yamal once again made his mark on Barca's third goal when Yamal ran down the pitch and passed the ball like a "set-up" for Fermin Lopez to create a pass that put Lewandowski in a position where he could not help but score, making it 3-0 for Barca. The fourth goal sealed the match when Yamal put his name on the scoreboard. The 17-year-old scored after receiving a pass from Raphinha.

A four-goal difference is enough for coach Flick and his team to feel “secure” before the second leg. However, it should be remembered that Barca is a “loser king” in the Champions League, even though they had a “very deep” lead in the first leg. Surprises can still happen, which is what fans are looking forward to in the rematch at Borussia Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park next week.

Source: https://baobinhthuan.com.vn/tay-trang-roi-nou-camp-129256.html