Prediction: Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona

Verdict: Away win

Best odds: 5/6

Bookmaker: Betfair

Needing a remontada of their own to keep their Champions League hopes alive, Borussia Dortmund welcome Barcelona to Signal Iduna Park for Tuesday’s quarterfinal second leg.

The Bundesliga side were thrashed 4-0 in last week’s first leg by Hansi Flick’s men, leaving the Blaugrana in a commanding position to reach the semifinals, where Inter Milan or Bayern Munich await.

Borussia Dortmund

The iconic Lionel Messi-Neymar-Luis Suarez trio may still hold legendary status at Barcelona, but the current attacking force of Raphinha, Lamine Yamal, and Robert Lewandowski is doing a stellar job of challenging that legacy.

All three played starring roles in last week’s first leg, with Lewandowski bagging a brace against his former club and Raphinha and Yamal adding one each. Raphinha also equalled Messi’s club record for the most goal involvements in a single Champions League campaign, reaching 19.

While Barcelona fans basked in the glory, Dortmund supporters were left staring down the barrel of elimination, with history firmly against them. Of the previous 159 instances where a team lost the first leg of a Champions League knockout tie by four goals or more, only once has a team turned it around—Barcelona’s own miraculous comeback against PSG in 2017.

Given Dortmund’s patchy form throughout a turbulent 2024–25 season, replicating such a feat looks highly improbable. However, there was a glimmer of pride at the weekend, as BVB battled to a commendable 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich in Der Klassiker. Even so, they’ve only won three of their last 12 home games at Signal Iduna Park, where their once-formidable fortress has faltered.

Team News

Pascal Gross returns from suspension after missing the first leg and is expected to slot straight back into midfield, just as he did in Saturday’s Klassiker. However, Niko Kovac remains without long-term knee injury absentees Marcel Sabitzer and Nico Schlotterbeck, the latter set for an extended spell on the sidelines.

Having flirted with a three-at-the-back system recently, Kovac may revert to a more attacking 4-2-3-1 setup on Tuesday in a bid to chase the goals they so desperately need, with Niklas Sule likely the man to make way.

Barcelona

Borussia Dortmund’s poor home form includes a 3-2 loss to Barcelona in the group stage – a result that forms part of the Blaugrana’s six-game unbeaten streak against the German side in European competition.

Only against Rangers (seven games between 1996 and 1999) have Dortmund gone longer without a continental win against a single opponent, but while BVB are stuck in a slump, Barcelona are riding a wave of historic momentum.

Saturday’s narrow 1-0 La Liga win over Leganes extended their unbeaten start to 2025 to 24 matches – the longest such run in club history – and keeps Hansi Flick’s men on course for a potential quadruple. Already crowned Supercopa de Espana champions, Barcelona sit comfortably atop La Liga and are set to face Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final on April 26.

Further raising spirits in Catalonia, Barcelona head to Signal Iduna Park aiming for a ninth successive away win, an astonishing run that’s part of a broader 16-match unbeaten streak on the road, with their last away defeat coming to Real Sociedad on November 10.

Having beaten Dortmund twice and dismantled Bayern 4-1 this season, Flick’s men have now won their last three Champions League encounters with German sides after losing the previous five. That dramatic turnaround underlines Barcelona’s resurgence on the European stage as they look to justify their status as competition favourites.

Team News

Barcelona’s weekend victory over Leganes came at a cost, as left-back Alejandro Balde suffered a hamstring injury that is likely to rule him out until the end of the month.

Gerard Martin is expected to deputize in Balde’s absence and should slot into the backline for the Dortmund trip. He won’t be the only enforced change, with Marc Bernal, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and Marc Casado all sidelined due to knee injuries.

In midfield, Dani Olmo remains doubtful with an adductor issue and is unlikely to recover in time. As a result, Fermin Lopez, who provided the assist for Lewandowski’s second goal in the first leg, is expected to retain his place in the number 10 role ahead of Gavi.

Conclusion

It will be interesting to see the way Dortmund approach their mountain-climbing task against the rampant Barcelona. Kovac’s men will surely put in a heroic effort in front of their fans, but overturning a four-goal deficit will prove out of their reach, and an extremely attacking approach will leave them vulnerable at the back.

Verdict: Away win

Best odds: 5/6

Bookmaker: Betfair