•Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski (L) celebrates goal with his teammate, defender Pau Cubarsi
Robert Lewandowski hit a brace to help a devastating Barcelona rout Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in a one-sided Champions League quarter-final first leg yesterday.
The five-time winners took the lead against last year’s runners-up through red-hot winger Raphinha before Lewandowski reached 40 goals for the season with his double, reports AFP.
Teenager Lamine Yamal was an unstoppable force throughout and deftly prodded home Barcelona’s fourth as Dortmund collapsed.
Barca, who last lifted the trophy in 2015 are aiming to seal a final four clash against Inter Milan or Bayern Munich when they visit Germany next Tuesday.
“I think we played very well but we have one more game to go… we always want to play our football and we want to play it there and we will win,” Lewandowski told Movistar.
“If you have 4-0 in the first half (of the tie), in the second half in Dortmund you have to play the same or better.
“In the end it’s the Champions League, and we always want to play at our level.”
Flick selected his typical side, with only one decision to make — he opted for Fermin Lopez over Gavi in attacking midfield to support the dynamic forward trio.
La Liga leaders Barcelona seized control from the start, with Gregor Kobel saving well from Yamal and Lewandowski.
Spain starlet Yamal, 17, fired across the face of goal and then over as he ran riot, Dortmund unable to slow him down.
Barcelona took the lead after Karim Adeyemi needlessly gave away a free-kick in a dangerous area, pulling Jules Kounde back by his dreadlocks while trying to burst forward on the counter.
Lopez whipped it to the back post, with Inigo Martinez nodding the ball towards Pau Cubarsi, who turned it towards goal.
The young defender’s effort beat Kobel and was heading over the line before the tournament’s top scorer Raphinha slid in to make sure, claiming his 12th goal.
The Brazilian winger faced a nervous wait while VAR worked to confirm his 25th-minute strike was onside.
Yamal and Raphinha zipped forward in search of a second but could not get the final ball right, before Serhou Guirassy spurned a huge chance for the visitors to level.
With Dortmund’s first slick attacking move of the game, the forward, who has 10 goals in the competition, was played in but snatched badly at a bouncing ball with just Wojciech Szczesny to beat.
– Whirlwind –
Unsurprisingly Niko Kovac’s Dortmund came to regret Guirassy’s misses, with Lewandowski netting his 10th of the tournament early in the second half.
Yamal clipped a cross to Raphinha, who looped a header over to Lewandowski at the far post to nod home from virtually under the crossbar three minutes after the interval.
Lopez struck the post and lashed inches over as Barcelona searched for a third to kill the tie off.
It arrived after 66 minutes, with Lopez teeing up Lewandowski to drill home at the near post.
This was the former Dortmund striker’s 29th goal in 28 matches against his old club, and his 99th in a Barcelona shirt since joining in 2022.
“I am very happy, 99 goals for the club,” added Lewandowski.
“In my head I always have not just winning, but helping the team with my qualities, goals.
“I think strikers always have to think about goals.”
Yamal, who had toyed with Dortmund’s defence all night, deservedly got on the scoresheet as the visitors left themselves wide open and Raphinha sent the youngster through on goal.
The only worry for Barca was Yamal asking to be replaced in the final stages, although he was smiling as he was afforded an ovation.
Flick’s side are aiming for a potential quadruple this season and on this evidence, they will take some stopping.
