Borussia Dortmund's spirited 3-1 win over Barcelona on Tuesday offered a bittersweet reminder of their contrasting fortunes in Europe and the Bundesliga this season. Despite a valiant effort, the win wasn’t enough to overturn the 4-0 deficit from the first leg, sealing their Champions League quarterfinal exit.
Dortmund sparked hopes of an unlikely comeback with an early two-goal lead, energizing the home crowd and putting Barcelona—unbeaten in 24 matches this year—on the back foot. Niko Kovac’s side pressed high and aggressively, stifling the attacking trio of Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, and Raphinha, while launching waves of their own offensives.
The performance showcased the resilience and potential of last year’s Champions League finalists, but also highlighted a troubling question: why can’t Dortmund produce similar displays in domestic competition?
Currently sitting eighth in the Bundesliga with 42 points, Dortmund are six points adrift of the final Champions League qualification spot, with only five games remaining. Their recent 2-2 draw with league leaders Bayern Munich wasn’t enough to stop the downward trend.
“The question remains why we can’t play like that in the Bundesliga as well,” defender Niklas Suele said after the match. “Hopefully we can show our fans a similar performance this Sunday against Borussia Moenchengladbach.”
That fixture is crucial. Gladbach, just ahead in seventh with 44 points, are direct rivals in the chase for European spots. A loss could prove costly for Dortmund’s slim hopes.
With only two wins in their last five league outings, Dortmund have dropped vital points. Kovac acknowledges time is running out.
“We had really good moments with the ball in transition,” he said. “We’ll keep showing that to the lads so they can bring it again against Gladbach.”
Failure to qualify for European competition would be a major blow—both on the pitch and financially—for the club. Sunday’s match could prove decisive in salvaging their season.