When Robert Lewandowski left the pitch, he glanced at the clock – 86th minute, 3: 1 for Borussia Dortmund, in a 5: 3 two for Barcelona. It was clear that he would be promoted. After the match, however, there was no great celebration, the players did not fall into their arms and did not congratulate. Instead, they exchanged comments – Lewandowski with Wojciech Szczęsny, Lamine Yamal with Raphinha, Ronald Araujo with Jules Kounde. No wide smiles and fun. Finally, they only thanked the fans and disappeared in the tunnel.
Later – as El Pais reports – Hansi Flick entered the locker room, where there was silence. He saw the gloomy faces of his players and began to remind you that they were promoted and finally – after six years – they are in the semi -final Champions League. – Guys, we advanced! Time to celebrate – he appealed, but the first defeat this year clearly suppressed joy. The difference in the perception of a rematch between the coach and competitors It was also visible in interviews. – It was not our best match – Flick gently assessed, stating several times that he expected difficult conditions: and aggressive rivals, and pulsating stands, and many moments in the game that will have to survive, using the four -goal advance from the first meeting. At a press conference he calmed journalists, reminded about fatigue and matches every three days, praised Borussia. His players were much more critical.
– It's a match for analysis, how not to play in the next matches. Many factors did not function as it should. In the middle of the pitch we lacked control, we made a lot of mistakes and losses, and the rivals were filmed and easily created opportunities. Maybe a light shower will be useful, maybe we will learn something – said in Canal+ Lewandowski, who in Dortmund was looking for a hundredth hit for Barcelona, but finished the match without even one accurate shot. Kounde was equally sharp. – We missed everything we did well in the first match: aggression, pressure, concentration, winning duels, closing the lines of passes … a bit of everything. We didn't manage the task – he said.
However, Flick, Lewandowski and Kounded agreed to the point: the most important is promotion.
Why such a difference between Barcelona and Hansim Flick players?
Behind Barcelona three weeks, during which she played seven matches – she had never had more in such a short time in history. Ahead of her – seven more until May 11, including two classics with Real Madrid (league and in the finals of the King's Cup) and two semi -final champions league matches with Interrem or Bayern Munich. It is clear that Flick, slightly underestimating and justifying the defeat 1: 3 with Borussia, builds a narrative with a view to these meetings. After all, they will decide whether his first year in Barcelona will be very good or sensational.
He saw the mistakes of his team for sure, with many actions he had to be honestly worried, he probably also understands the disappointment of his players, but he decided that at that moment they needed a gentle message and appreciation of this promotion. Although this is primarily visible in the group of mood management, looking more broadly, it is impossible to disagree with Flick: the Champions League semi -final is a success for every club, and for Barcelona, the greater that in the last six years he was completely unattainable for her. Until recently, twice in a row she did not leave the group, and now he was beating about the trophy of his first season, in the middle of financial troubles, with a very young composition – Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi in 2019, during the last semi -finals with Liverpool, they were 11 years old and played a seven -person football, for small goals.
But the critical approach of Barcelona players is understandable. They felt best that they played poorly in Dortmund, they did not go much and the promotion cost them too many nerves. Perhaps they are also afraid that playing in this way, they may lose the chance they worked for throughout the season.
Tuesday's match could have worried – Borussia's dominance in the first minutes was absolute, before scoring the first goal (11th minute) she had three good opportunities, easily received the ball and quickly reached the penalty area with her. Yes, Borussia pressing provoked Barcelona's mistakes, but usually players like Frenki de Jong or Ronald Araujo do not commit them so many. It is also rare that Raphinha and Yamal are so ineffective in duels – in total they won only three of 15, Yamal had 21 losses and not a single key pass. Poles also made bad decisions – Lewandowski when playing the ball, and Szczęsny when attacking the rival in the penalty area, which ended in dictating the penalty kick and a 1: 0 goal. Next – Kounde had a notoriously setting problems, and Fermin Lopez and Gavi with keeping the ball in the middle of the field. Barcelona could not keep up with the counterparts of her rivals, she also lost a goal after a corner kick. She failed at the beginning of the match and immediately after the break.
With a result of 0: 2 in the 49th minute it got nervous. Nightmares from previous years came back, when Barcelona in revenge against Roma and Liverpool struck the advantage and dropped out. In Dortmund, she was helped by the suicide goal of Bensebaini and letting Pedri, who calmed down the game in the middle of the field and allowed her to stay with the ball longer, clearly showing that he is a key player of Barcelona.
Footballers feel tired and see the schedule. They know what is coming. They also remember the last matches – with the penultimate in the Leganes table they mercilessly got tired and won 1: 0 only after the suicide goal of one of the rivals. Earlier 1: 1 draw with Betis did not come easily. On the one hand results In these matches they kept Barcelona in the game for all trophies, but on the other, the style itself makes you think about whether her players do not catch shortness of breath at the key moment of the season.
Barcelona is running out of fuel. Key matches are coming
“El Pais” writes that Barcelona suffered a panic attack in Dortmund, despite the fact that the first match won 4-0. She was not prepared for this meeting either mentally, neither tactically or physically. But again – though disturbing – you can find excuses. The 4-0 victory in the first match could have a relaxation, there were rotations in the composition – the key players sat on the bench, i.e. Pedri and Inigo Martinez, and the injured Alejandro Balde landed outside the team. Probably Flick would also gladly give Kounde a rest, but Barcelona's staff is so narrow that he has no substitute. Like 17-year-old Yamal, who from November starts all matches in the starting composition. It is also impossible to omit the fact that Borussia played an excellent match, one of the best this season, and Barcelona winning the first match so high, gave herself the right to play a weaker rematch. Finally – she achieved the goal.
Her fans, however, are concerned about the circumstances in which their team suffered their first defeat in 2025 (20 wins and four draws at that time). The last time they were so worried at the turn of November and December, when Barcelona also began to pay for a very intensive game from the beginning of the season. At that time, however, a break of several days came, after which her key players began to fly again. There will be no such break now. So the question seems to be the question of whether Barcelona is enough fuel. The indicator has already lit up.