In the end, it was comfortable enough for Barcelona, despite Serhou Guirassy’s hat-trick. They weren’t able to hold the ball in trademark fashion and command through possession but they always had clear water. There were times, though, when they were distinctly uneasy and, but for an own goal that came at just the right time for them, this might have been a very awkward evening.
It may ultimately have been a second leg negotiated without too much jeopardy, but it was a tie that raised doubts about them as potential champions. There is much to admire about Hansi Flick’s Spanish league leaders but theirs is a high-risk game and more precise opponents than Dortmund might have exposed them.
