UEFA Champions League: Olmo returns as Barca’s eyes first semis since 2019
After a dominating 4-0 win in the first leg, Barca are well placed to reach the semi-final for the first time since 2019. However, they still have a job to do in the second leg at the Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday.
Borussia Dortmund players during a training session ahead of second leg
BARCELONA: After an excellent win last week in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final tie against Borussia Dortmund at home, Barcelona will now face off against the German club again on Wednesday in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League.
After a dominating 4-0 win in the first leg, Barca are well placed to reach the semi-final for the first time since 2019. However, they still have a job to do in the second leg at the Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday.
Ahead of their trip to Germany, coach Hansi Flick has named the travelling squad. Key midfielder Dani Olmo is back in the squad after having recovered from an adductor injury and receiving his medical clearance on Sunday.
Olmo had missed Barcelona’s last five matches, including the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid and the Champions League first leg against Borussia Dortmund.
Meanwhile, Alejandro Balde, who sustained a distal injury to his left hamstring during a 1-0 win away from home at Leganes, misses out. This season Balde has been a regular in the side, making 42 appearances in all competition.
Real Madrid faces uphill task at home
Real Madrid are perhaps the furthest thing from strangers to a dramatic turnaround, but even they have no precedent for overturning a three-goal first-leg deficit in the Champions League era.
Jude Bellingham gave a frank assessment of the performance at full time, having watched international team-mate Declan Rice curl in two magnificent free-kicks before Mikel Merino's expert finish. "We're lucky to get away with three," the midfielder admitted, while sounding the drum ahead of the second leg. "We're going to need something unbelievably special, something crazy – but if there's one place where crazy things can happen, it's our home."
Mikel Arteta is also unwilling to discount the power of the Bernabeu atmosphere ahead of the decisive second leg. "We're going to enjoy the win, because we feel we deserve to do that, but we know it's just half-time," the Arsenal coach conceded. "We have to be even better in Madrid to go through."
Doing just that could have the Gunners dreaming big – when they last overcame Real Madrid in the Champions League knockout phase back in 2005/06, they went on to reach that year's final.
