Guirassy scores a hat trick in vain for Dortmund
NEW DELHI: Borussia Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy produced a stunning hat trick, but it wasn’t enough to stop Barcelona from advancing to the Champions League semifinals on Tuesday.
Despite a 3-1 home win, Dortmund crashed out 5-3 on aggregate after a 4-0 thrashing in the first leg.
Guirassy struck in the 11th, 49th, and 76th minutes, becoming the Champions League’s top scorer this season with 13 goals, but a costly own goal by Ramy Bensebaini and missed early chances haunted the German side.
Barcelona, suffering their first loss in any competition since December, struggled to find rhythm in front of a passionate Dortmund crowd. Coach Hansi Flick, who had never lost to Dortmund in his previous encounters, praised the opposition’s performance but lauded his side for reaching the semifinals for the first time since 2019.
Meanwhile, in England, Paris Saint-Germain held off a fierce Aston Villa comeback to progress 5-4 on aggregate, despite a 3-2 loss in the second leg. Early goals from Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes gave PSG a comfortable lead, but Villa roared back through Youri Tielemans, John McGinn, and Ezri Konsa. However, the Premier League side fell just short of forcing extra time.
With their quarterfinal victories, Barcelona will face the winner of Inter Milan vs Bayern Munich, while PSG await their semifinal opponent as they continue their quest for a maiden Champions League crown.
Both matches served up high drama and showcased the razor-thin margins that define knockout football. For Dortmund and Villa, brave efforts fell just short; for Barcelona and PSG, it’s a step closer to European glory.
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