UCL: Ferran Torres fires Barcelona to knockout stage in Dortmund thriller

Substitute Ferran Torres delivered a game-changing performance, scoring twice in 10 minutes to secure Barcelona a thrilling 3-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, clinching their spot in the Champions League knockout phase.

Raphinha opened the scoring for Barcelona in the 53rd minute, calmly finishing after a precise Dani Olmo pass during a swift counterattack.

Dortmund quickly levelled seven minutes later when Serhou Guirassy converted a penalty after Pau Cubarsi’s clumsy foul in the box.

Torres, who replaced the underwhelming former Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski, tapped in a rebound with 15 minutes remaining to restore Barcelona’s lead.

But Guirassy struck again, finishing into an empty net after being set up by Pascal Gross following a breakdown in Barcelona’s defence.

As Dortmund pushed for a historic first win over Barcelona, they were undone on a quick counterattack.

Lamine Yamal surged forward and set up Torres, who made amends for a poor first touch by firing a low shot past Gregor Kobel to seal the victory five minutes from time.

The result guaranteed Barcelona at least a playoff berth and positioned them strongly for a top-eight finish, ensuring direct qualification for the last 16.

Meanwhile, Dortmund suffered their first home loss of the season across all competitions and slid to ninth in the Champions League standings.

Dortmund’s injury woes forced coach Nuri Sahin to field an experimental lineup, emphasizing youth and speed. Julien Duranville, 18, made his starting debut, while Gio Reyna earned his first start of the season. Despite the setbacks, Dortmund showed flashes of promise, with Duranville creating opportunities and Guirassy proving clinical.

Barcelona, however, capitalized on their moments. Raphinha troubled the Dortmund defence early, narrowly missing an open goal before finally breaking through in the second half. Despite some defensive lapses, Torres and Yamal’s late heroics ensured Barcelona maintained their strong European form, claiming their fifth win in six games.

Dortmund now face an uphill battle to advance, while Barcelona continue to march confidently toward the competition’s latter stages.