Dortmund drew hope after an early goal against Manchester City, but after 180 minutes it was a class difference that separated the two teams. Real Madrid are also in the semi-finals.
Borussia Dortmund failed in the targeted coup in the Champions League. The Germans lost the quarter-final second leg against Manchester City on home soil 2-1 and were eliminated with a total score of 2-4. Man City will now face Bayern conquerors Paris SG in the semi-finals (April 27/28). The second finalist will be determined in the duel between Chelsea and Real Madrid (0-0 in the second leg, total score 3-1 against Liverpool).
Before the first leg in England, Dortmund had been treated as a clear underdog, because the form and the course of the season had actually left no doubts about Manchester City’s success. “When you drop out, everyone says it was clear. But if you throw them out, it’s of course a world sensation, ”explained Dortmund’s managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke – and secretly speculated on exactly that.
0: 1 – and City ignites the turbo
The Citizens dominate the English Premier League, with eleven points ahead of Manchester United, the title is almost ready to be picked up. But just against a BVB weakening in the Bundesliga, Pep Guardiola’s team was not in their best shape eight days ago. Dortmund acted fearlessly in the first 90 minutes of this comparison, and on good days this team can put any opponent in dire straits – there is no lack of personnel quality per se.
The 1: 2 from the first leg gave the black and yellow hope, the belief in the “world sensation” had grown before the second leg on Wednesday. Even more after Jude Bellingham, 17-year-old Englishman in the Dortmund shirt, gave the hosts an early lead (15th). After that, however, only Manchester City played, which had recognized the seriousness of the situation in good time.
What Lionel Messi is to Barcelona and Neymar to Paris, Kevin de Bruyne is to Manchester City. The Belgian, 29, is the heart and soul of this team, just last week he extended his contract prematurely until 2025. In the 25th minute, De Bruyne thundered the ball against the crossbar, Riyad Mahrez (32nd) and Oleksandr Zintschenko (38th) found further good opportunities.
The equalizer had announced itself, he fell in the 54th minute from a penalty by Mahrez. Dortmund gasped for air, there was hardly any relief because City let the ball run through its own ranks with sheer dreamlike security.
Dortmund had nothing more to offer than a header from Mats Hummels (69th). In the end, it was the expected class difference that separates these two teams.
PSG versus City: The best series of attacks in the world
And so it was okay for Manchester City to win that game. BVB goalkeeper Marwin Hitz was able to parry a De Bruyne shot after a remarkable solo (74th), a few moments later Hitz looked less good with Phil Foden’s long-range shot and the final goal to make it 2-1 (75th).
Manchester City is in the semi-finals of the Champions League for the second time after 2016 (out against Real Madrid), the upcoming test of strength with Paris SG is also the duel of the probably strongest offensive series in the world: There Mbappé, Neymar and Di María, da De Bruyne, Mahrez and sterling. Goals are guaranteed.
In the second game of the evening, Liverpool lacked against Real Madrid (0-0) despite an increase after the 1: 3 in the first leg just this offensive penetration. (cg)
(“Die Presse”, print edition April 15, 2021)
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