Barcelona will face either Inter or Bayern in the Champions League semifinals. Their first-leg victory was enough to secure a spot among Europe’s top four, despite last night’s 3-1 defeat in Dortmund. The objective was achieved, but for the second consecutive match, an unrecognizable Barcelona side escaped without injury—thanks to two own goals from opponents in both La Liga and the Champions League.

After much praise for Barcelona’s goal-scoring prowess, their attackers suddenly fell silent. In Leganés, Jorge Sáenz’s own goal was fortunate. Yesterday, Rami Bensebaini opened his own net when Borussia Dortmund was just two goals away from extra time. Barcelona’s situation was so dire that they hadn’t even taken a shot—good or bad—until they were 2-0 down.

Only after 50 minutes of anxiety did they show some ambition and motivation. Worse, until that moment, Barcelona appeared arrogant, overconfident, distracted, careless, and error-prone, playing cautiously due to their 4-0 first-leg lead. The team played with the handbrake on, waiting for time to pass—which it did, but with excessive suffering. Last night proved that without divine intervention, Inigo Martinez is irreplaceable, and Baldé’s injury will be a significant blow.

To Ricardo Sá Pinto’s decisions to rest key players and protect Inigo Martinez from a yellow card suspension, add Barcelona’s choice to wear those cursed white shorts.

These shorts had already ruined the 120th-anniversary match against Las Palmas in Montjuïc. Barcelona’s women’s team, which never loses, wore the same white shorts against Manchester City and suffered their only European defeat this season. And now, in Dortmund, as if two weren’t enough, another unexpected loss. Enough already—stop the joke. Don’t wear these shorts again. Three defeats in three matches. This isn’t superstition. It’s much more. It’s a matter of life and death. Burn the white shorts!

Source: Mundo Deportivo