Barcelona are all but assured of a Champions League semi-final spot after trouncing Borussia Dortmund 4-0 on Wednesday, with Robert Lewandowski scoring twice against his former club.
Lewandowski netted twice in the space of 18 second-half minutes after Raphinha continued his electric Champions League form with a 25th-minute opener.
Niko Kovac’s visitors, who are fighting to return to this competition amid a poor Bundesliga campaign, shipped a fourth to Lamine Yamal in the 77th minute.
They now need the most improbable comeback of all if they are to have any chance of replicating last season’s run to the final, ahead of hosting the second leg on Tuesday.
Hansi Flick’s hosts, who could win four trophies this season, dominated early on and went ahead from a free-kick awarded for Karim Adeyemi pulling Jules Kounde’s hair.
Pau Cubarsi nodded Fermin Lopez’s delivery back across goal, and though it may already have been creeping in, Raphinha applied a final touch on the line.
A string of saves from Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel frustrated Barca for the remainder of the first half, while Serhou Guirassy hit the side netting after a neat turn at the other end.
Barca emerged more determined following the break and it took them only three minutes to double their lead, Raphinha heading Yamal’s dink across to Lewandowski, who finished with a header of his own.
The Poland striker then extended their lead further in the 66th minute, drilling home after excellent work from Lopez on the right flank.
And with Dortmund’s confidence in tatters, Barca put more gloss in the scoreline through teenage sensation Yamal. He took a brilliant first touch after being released by Raphinha, then prodded past Kobel to put the Blaugrana on the cusp of a semi-final appearance.
Data debrief: Star-studded frontline propels Barca
Barcelona’s success this season has owed much to the talents of their brilliant front three – Raphinha, Lewandowski and Yamal.
With a goal and two assists here, Raphinha became the first player in Champions League history to record more than 10 goals and more than five assists in a single campaign (12 goals, seven assists).
And with 28 goals and 20 assists overall this season, he is the first Barca player to score 20 or more goals and provide 20 or more assists in a single campaign since 2019-20, when Lionel Messi scored 31 goals and teed up 25.
Lewandowski, meanwhile, is up to 34 goals in Champions League knockout-stage games, equalling Karim Benzema. Only Cristiano Ronaldo (67) and Messi (49) have more.
Yamal got in on the act late on, marking his 20th Champions League appearance with a goal. He is the youngest player to ever reach that mark, at the age of 17 years and 270 days, while he is also the youngest player to score on back-to-back appearances in the competition.
