Dortmund vs Barcelona Prediction 15 April 2025

🟡 Borussia Dortmund, under Niko Kovac, have shown improvement, though perhaps not to the extent their fans would have hoped. The team is edging closer to the European competition spots, currently sitting in eighth place in the Bundesliga. With only five games left, it's unlikely the "Black and Yellows" will make it into the Champions League. However, they have secured victories against Mainz and Freiburg, who are direct competitors. Last weekend, Dortmund held Bayern to a draw (2-2). Both teams squandered scoring opportunities in the closing stages, making the draw a fair result.

🔗 Dortmund are likely to focus on the Bundesliga, as advancing past Barcelona in the quarterfinals seems nearly impossible. Last week, they conceded four unanswered goals, despite having chances to score themselves. Niko Kovac mentioned that he was well-acquainted with Hansi Flick's style of play. However, it was evident that his tactical approach missed the mark.

📣 Credit must be given to the players who spoke to the press following the painful defeat. For instance, Karim Adeyemi was disheartened by their away performance but hasn't lost hope for reaching the semifinals: "The way Borussia played was disgraceful, including myself and the entire team. This is not what we wanted. But it is what it is… We're pinning our hopes on the return leg. It's tough, but this is football. We'll be on our home turf, so all we can do is hope."

❌ A significant blow for Borussia Dortmund is the injury to Nico Schlotterbeck, who had already caught the eye of Europe's top clubs. The defender is out for the rest of the season. Marcel Sabitzer's absence in midfield is also felt, as he has missed four matches already.

🔵 Barcelona are leading La Liga. Ahead of the 31st round, they have pulled four points clear of Real Madrid, despite a near slip-up last weekend. Hansi Flick fielded what was essentially a full-strength squad against Leganes, one of the main candidates for relegation to the Segunda Division. However, the Blaugrana only managed to score at the beginning of the second half, courtesy of an own goal by their opponents. Nevertheless, they extended their unbeaten streak to 24 matches. Barcelona's impressive form has prompted the management to offer Hansi Flick a new contract until 2027.

🔗 In the first leg against Borussia Dortmund, Robert Lewandowski emerged as one of the heroes, scoring twice against his former club. Raphinha also made his mark by "stealing" a goal from Kubarsi, an incident that required a VAR review for offside. The Barcelona captain not only found the net but also provided two assists.

📣 Raphinha shared his thoughts on his goal against Borussia Dortmund: “I was worried about being offside. I had my doubts, but thankfully they weren't confirmed. I told Kubarsi that I touched the ball before it crossed the line and apologized.” Meanwhile, Hansi Flick sought to temper the euphoria regarding the first-leg result: “I greatly appreciate the efforts my players put in-they always strive for more. It's fantastic... We haven't reached the semifinals yet. You never know what can happen. Football is a crazy sport.”

❌ In the upcoming match, Marc-André ter Stegen, Marc Casado, and Marc Bernal will not play. Alejandro Balde is expected to be sidelined for approximately two weeks after being substituted in the first half against Leganes. Dani Olmo missed the game against Borussia Dortmund but is anticipated to recover in time for the return leg.