Barcelona clinched their spot in the UEFA Champions League semifinals with a 5-3 aggregate victory, despite a 3-1 loss to Borussia Dortmund in a thrilling second leg on Tuesday. The Catalan giants, who dominated the first leg with a 4-0 win, faced a fierce comeback from the German hosts, led by Serhou Guirassy’s sensational hat-trick.
Guirassy ignited Dortmund’s hopes with an audacious Panenka penalty just 11 minutes into the match. He doubled the lead early in the second half with a powerful header, putting Barcelona under intense pressure. The visitors responded when Fermin Lopez’s effort deflected off Ramy Bensebaini for an own goal, giving them a crucial away goal with just over 30 minutes remaining.
Undeterred, Guirassy completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute, reigniting Dortmund’s belief in a miraculous comeback. The German side continued to press, but Julian Brandt’s late effort was ruled offside, dashing their semifinal dreams. Despite suffering their first competitive defeat of 2025, Barcelona advance, keeping their treble aspirations alive a decade after their last triumph.
Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain survived a nail-biting encounter against Aston Villa, progressing to the semifinals with a 5-4 aggregate score, despite a 3-2 defeat at Villa Park. The French champions appeared to be cruising after early goals from full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes extended their aggregate lead to 5-1.
Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans sparked a comeback with a goal before halftime. The momentum shifted dramatically early in the second half as John McGinn and Ezri Konsa scored within two minutes, leveling the tie. PSG’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made crucial saves to deny Villa’s persistent attacks, ensuring PSG avoided another infamous collapse in European competition.
With both Barcelona and PSG advancing, the stage is set for an exciting Champions League semifinal round, as Europe’s elite clubs vie for the coveted trophy.
