According to “Varzesh3,” Hans-Dieter Flick entered the dressing room after the second leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals at Signal Iduna Park and faced disheartened players.

He said in the post-match press conference: “The atmosphere in the dressing room wasn’t great. But I told the players: ‘Guys, it’s time to cheer up! We’ve reached the Champions League semi-finals, and now we should celebrate this achievement!”

Barcelona, relying on their 4-0 victory in the first leg, advanced to the Champions League semi-finals and remains in contention for the title. However, they faced intense pressure from Borussia Dortmund in Germany. Dortmund, before being eliminated, delivered a strong performance with a 3-1 win, including a hat-trick by Serhou Guirassy, showing positive signs under coach Niko Kovač, who took charge in February.

This match also ended Barcelona’s remarkable unbeaten run. Flick’s team had not lost a single match since the start of 2025, setting the fourth-longest unbeaten streak in the club’s history with 24 matches without defeat. Among Europe’s top five leagues this season, no team had a longer unbeaten run (they were tied with Liverpool under Arne Slot).

Dortmund was perhaps the right place for this streak to end. The pressure and expectations on Barcelona eased slightly, and the defeat did not cause significant damage. Barcelona has played seven matches in the last 19 days, increasing their chances of winning all competitions.

However, Flick’s players were not satisfied with the loss. In addition to the 3-1 defeat, Barcelona recorded their worst expected goal difference (xG) in a Champions League knockout match this season, indicating Dortmund created higher-quality scoring opportunities.

Jules Koundé openly expressed his disappointment after the match, telling Movistar Spain: “If I’m being completely honest, I’m disappointed with our performance. We played below our expected level. We made mistakes and were careless in executing our game plan. I’m disappointed because I know this team is much better than what we showed.”

These high standards in Barcelona’s dressing room can be reassuring for fans. However, reaching the Champions League semi-finals should hold more value than a single defeat.

The team had not reached this stage in Europe for six years. The last time Barcelona made it to the semi-finals was in 2019, when they were eliminated 4-0 by Liverpool at Anfield. That pain lingered not only in the hearts of the club and fans but deepened further.

Barcelona had been humiliated in the Europa League by Manchester United and Eintracht Frankfurt. They only reached the Champions League quarter-finals twice, one of which saw them thrashed 8-2 by Bayern Munich. Barcelona had not enjoyed good days in Europe, and an end to these failures seemed distant.

Last summer, when Hans-Dieter Flick took charge, it seemed he had taken on an impossible mission. But nine months later, Barcelona is among Europe’s top four teams, boasting the best scoring record in the top five leagues and averaging three goals per game in the Champions League.

This transformation under Flick deserves praise and support, especially after a night when nothing went according to plan. Over 3,000 Barcelona fans were present at Signal Iduna Park, marking the largest away support for the team this season. Barcelona fans know well how they’ve felt in recent years. Now it’s their turn to enjoy returning to the biggest stage in club football.

Flick emphasized: “We certainly didn’t play well tonight, but now it’s time to celebrate. At the moment, I don’t want to be too hard on my players; they’ve been fantastic this season. Tomorrow, we’ll review the match and analyze what we can improve moving forward.”

The 60-year-old coach will have many takeaways after reviewing the match. The first is the irreplaceable role of Pedri. The Spanish midfielder sat on the bench against Dortmund as Flick rested him after recent intense matches.

Frenkie de Jong, Gavi, and Fermín López formed the midfield trio but failed to control the game’s rhythm or dictate play. Pedri came on after 60 minutes to try and change the situation.

Another painful reality concerns Ronald Araújo. The 26-year-old defender started instead of Iñigo Martínez, who would have been suspended for the semi-final if he received another yellow card. Flick chose to preserve Martínez for future matches. But Araújo once again became the team’s weak link.

He gifted the ball to Serhou Guirassy in the penalty area, allowing the Dortmund striker to score his third goal of the night. Araújo was shaky in possession and struggled with the tactical complexities of Flick’s high defensive line.

Last weekend, Ronald Araújo was substituted at halftime against Leganés, who played with a deep defensive line, as his problems in Barcelona’s build-up play became evident. His confidence seems to have dwindled. Choosing between Iñigo Martínez or Pau Cubarsí over Araújo will be a tough challenge for Flick.

No club in the world can expect to win the Champions League without facing obstacles. Dortmund was one such obstacle for Barcelona, and more lie ahead.

In the semi-finals, Inter Milan or Bayern Munich await Barcelona—two teams likely a level above Benfica and Dortmund, whom Barcelona overcame in earlier knockout rounds.

Robert Lewandowski, Barcelona’s 36-year-old striker, said after the Dortmund match: “I hope this match serves as a good lesson for all our young players.” Lewandowski is one of five players in Barcelona’s current squad, alongside Marc-André ter Stegen, Frenkie de Jong, Andreas Christensen, and Dani Olmo, with experience in the Champions League semi-finals.

He added: “In this competition, you have to be fully prepared. Not 90%, not 95%… you have to be 100% ready.”

If Hans-Dieter Flick’s Barcelona learns from the tough experience against Dortmund, perhaps this night could mark the beginning of a historic season for the club.