A beast cornered with no way to retreat must fight back with all its might. Dortmund, in a difficult psychological state, started the match in Lille with a huge mistake that Jonathan David capitalized on, scoring the opening goal in the fifth minute. But at that moment, Niko Kovač’s team underwent a complete transformation and played their best match of the season, fully deserving their spot in the Champions League quarterfinals, where they will face Barcelona—winning 2-1 (0-1) after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.14 – Serhou Guirassy’s 14 goal involvements in the UEFA Champions League this season (10 goals, 4 assists) is the joint-most by an African player in a single campaign in the competition, along with Mohamed Salah in 2017-18. Star. #UCL #LOSCBVB pic.twitter.com/xgJYZn66mj— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) March 12, 2025 Despite completing a fantastic comeback with goals from Emre Can and Maximilian Beier, Borussia Dortmund missed an incredible number of clear-cut chances. However, Bruno Genesio’s defense couldn’t withstand the pressure and had to bid farewell to Europe’s elite competition. Jonathan David’s goal resulted from errors by Karim Adeyemi and Pascal Gross on the right flank. Ismaily took advantage, launching a quick counterattack before finding David perfectly positioned in the heart of the penalty area. Nico Schlotterbeck reacted too late, and Gregor Kobel positioned himself poorly, allowing the ball to slip through his legs and into the net.⚽️ GOAL: Jonathan David🇪🇺 Lille 1-0 Borussia Dortmundpic.twitter.com/DfzVGfjsUI— Goals Xtra (@GoalsXtra) March 12, 2025 At that moment, the visitors’ character faced its toughest test. Dortmund needed about ten minutes to recover from the setback before launching an aggressive response. Yet, their biggest obstacle to equalizing was Lille’s outstanding goalkeeper, Lucas Chevalier. In the first half alone, he made four crucial saves—practically all of them game-saving—finishing the match with the same tally of vital stops. ⚽️ GOAL: Beier🇪🇺 Lille 1-2 Borussia Dortmundpic.twitter.com/GC3MQ3bXlx— Goals Xtra (@GoalsXtra) March 12, 2025 Lille’s defensive structure was on the verge of collapse throughout the first half, and it finally crumbled in the 54th minute when Emre Can converted from the penalty spot. However, the home side heavily criticized referee Sandro Schärer’s decision to award the penalty after contact between Thomas Meunier and Serhou Guirassy. While the Swiss referee could justify his call due to the presence of contact, Lille players argued there wasn’t enough for a spot-kick. Regardless, Can’s goal broke through Lille’s defense, paving the way for a complete turnaround just ten minutes later. Guirassy once again played a key role from the shadows, combining brilliantly outside the penalty area with Maximilian Beier, who then unleashed a shot into the top corner—unstoppable even for the exceptional Chevalier.UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – ROUND OF 16Second legTuesdayBarcelona – Benfica 3-1 (3-1)/Raphinha 11, 42, Yamal 27 – Otamendi 13/Barcelona win 4-1 on aggInter Milan – Feyenoord 2-1 (1-1)/Thuram 8, Cahlanoglu 51 pen – Moder 42 pen/Inter win 4-1 on aggBayer Leverkusen – Bayern Munich 0-2 (0-0)/Kane 52, Davies 71/Bayern win 5-0 on aggLiverpool – PSG 0-1 (0-1)/Dembele 12/PSG win 5-3 after penalty shootoutWednesdayLille – Dortmund 1-2 (1-0)/David 5, Can (p) 54, Beier 65/23.00: (1.42) Arsenal (4.80) PSV (9.00)23.00: (1.62) Aston Villa (3.90) Club Brugge (5.60)23.00: (2.60) Atl. Madrid (3.50) Real Madrid (2.85)***odds are subject to change***
