FC Barcelona heads to Germany with a clear mission: to seal their spot in the UEFA Champions League semifinals, something they haven't achieved since 2019. After a dominant 4-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in the first leg at the Estadi Olímpic, the team coached by Hansi Flick will look to finish the job this Tuesday, April 15, at 3:00 p.m. ET (21:00 CET) at the always intimidating Signal Iduna Park, with Maurizio Mariani from Italy officiating.

Barça's best form of the season

With one foot in the next round, Barcelona is in their best form of the season: top of LaLiga, Copa del Rey finalists, and still unbeaten across the top leagues in 2025, having gone 24 matches without a loss. Hansi Flick has revitalized the team in every aspect. “He has everything in his hands,” say those close to the club, who are confident that the good times will keep rolling.

The blaugrana squad sees the return of Dani Olmo, who has recovered from an adductor injury, while there’s a key absence in Alejandro Balde, who picked up a muscle injury in his left leg. This could pave the way for young Gerard Martín to start at left-back. There are also some defensive doubts, with Íñigo Martínez possibly being risked despite a yellow card suspension looming, or Cubarsí-Araujo continuing as a solid pair. In attack, Flick might stick with the front three of Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, and Lewandowski, though Ferran Torres is pushing for a starting spot.

Dortmund’s tough task

On the Dortmund side, the situation is a lot more bleak. The German side faces the task of pulling off what seems like an impossible comeback. Still, they’re aiming to put in a better performance than the first leg. "We have to try to win. Whether it’s enough to turn the tie around, I don’t know," said Lars Ricken, the club’s sporting director, acknowledging that a comeback would be “the biggest miracle in Dortmund’s history.” The team is dealing with some uncertainties, as Emre Can trained apart from the group, and if he’s unavailable, Rami Bensebaini could step in, forcing some tactical adjustments.

Statistically, Barcelona holds a commanding record over Dortmund: 4 wins and 2 draws in 6 encounters, with 13 goals scored and 4 conceded. Their most recent visit to Germany saw them win 2-3 in the league phase, with a brace from Ferran Torres. The first leg of this tie was an offensive showcase, with goals from Raphinha, Lewandowski (x2), and Lamine Yamal, who became the second-youngest scorer ever in a Champions League quarterfinal at just 17 years and 270 days old.

A decisive night in Dortmund

Everything is set for a night that could mark Barcelona’s return to European greatness. The mission is clear: withstand the pressure in hostile territory and prove that the ghosts of the past are finally behind them.