Barcelona’s ambitious push: Dortmund tie crucial in quest for major honours | OneFootball

Barcelona’s Champions League quarter-final tie against Borussia Dortmund is more than just a shot at a semi-final place.

It is a key step in what feels like a rekindling of the club’s golden era – an ambitious but increasingly realistic push for major honours on multiple fronts.

The Catalan giants are top of La Liga, have already lifted the Spanish Super Cup, and will face Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final.

They are also three ties away from adding the Champions League crown to that haul. It is not quite the 2009 sextuple season yet, but the signs of a return to those historic heights are beginning to take shape.

Hansi Flick’s side have impressed throughout Europe this term, delivering some of the most fluid and fearless attacking football in the competition.

A 3-2 group stage win over Dortmund in December showcased their resilience, with Ferran Torres coming up clutch late on.

Barcelona host the Germans again in Montjuic this week, carrying a 22-match unbeaten run and an air of purpose that has often been missing since their last deep run in Europe.

Flick’s impact has been clear, and while he is reluctant to get caught up in sentiment, he knows what this opportunity means.

“Statistics don’t interest me, nor does the past – what matters is tomorrow,” Flick said ahead of the match.

“We are all delighted to be playing in the Champions League. It’s a challenge for us to play in Europe and we want to be there.”

Dortmund arrive with several key players missing and their league form still patchy.

They are currently outside the Bundesliga’s top four, meaning their only guaranteed route back into this competition is by winning it. That will be no easy feat against Barcelona.

The Catalans have not reached the semi-finals since 2019, and collapses have marred recent years. But this side is different – more focused, more physical and increasingly confident under Flick.

Victory over Dortmund would not confirm Barcelona’s return to the top just yet.

However, it would signal that the club’s dreams of another golden era, like the one built under Pep Guardiola and crowned with six trophies, are no longer just a fantasy.