It was a night of edge-of-the-seat football action at Signal Iduna Park as Borussia Dortmund delivered a stunning 3-1 win against FC Barcelona in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League 2024-25 quarterfinal match. While it was Dortmund that brought the tie back to life, it was Barcelona that eventually advanced to the semifinals, with their 5-3 aggregate lead, courtesy of their thumping 4-0 win in the first leg.

The home journey was anything but a leisurely stroll for the Catalans. Dortmund were out with wolf-like appetite, aware that they had a mountain to ascend. Life was brought into focus by a barnstorming display by striker Serhou Guirassy, the same player who had stolen victory at the Signal Iduna Park Stadium. Guirassy scored a brace in the first half, leaving the masses there in cestasy, really subjecting the visitors to siege pressure.

Barcelona seemed shaken and could not maintain the pressure off as Dortmund pushed hard and fast. Dortmund's third goal—Guirassy's second hat-trick goal in the early minutes of the second half—momentarily made the improbable possible, reducing the aggregate deficit by a single goal.

However, the momentum swung slightly in Barcelona’s favor when misfortune struck Dortmund. Defender Ramy Bensebaini inadvertently deflected the ball into his own net, giving Barcelona a crucial away goal that eased some of the nerves. That own goal ultimately sealed the deal for Xavi’s men, despite the 3-1 defeat on the night.

Barcelona's 4-0 win in the first leg was just sufficient, and their aggregate victory of 5-3 returns them to the Champions League semifinals since 2019. It is a massive turning point for the club in their rebuilding after some disappointing European displays in the recent few seasons.

It was a hard game. Dortmund left all on the pitch and made it very, very hard for us," Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez said in the aftermath to news agencies. "But we demonstrated strength, and that first-leg performance was the switch."

Barcelona will now have to wait for the winner between Inter Milan and Bayern Munich of the semifinal tie—a tie that promises further drama as European glory beckons.

While Dortmund walk away with heads held high, the Champions League hope remains firmly intact with Barcelona.