Borussia Dortmund’s Champions League aspirations were dealt a crushing blow on Wednesday night, as Barcelona tore them apart with a 4-0 victory.
Captain Emre Can unleashed a scathing attack on his teammates after the match, pointing the finger at their lack of commitment rather than tactics or coaching.
Speaking to DAZN, Can vented his frustration: “It’s not about the system, it’s about whether everyone’s willing to give 100% and make the sacrifices these games demand.”
He didn’t hold back, dissecting a performance riddled with errors. “Too much went wrong. We were soft, lacked cohesion, and made simple mistakes. At this level, you pay a heavy price for that, that’s why we got hammered.”
Can praised Barcelona’s quality, noting they have “several good players,” but stressed Dortmund’s collapse stemmed from failing to operate as a team. “You only beat a side like that if you go out there together. We didn’t. Even with their class, we could’ve done more, we just didn’t step up.”
Looking ahead to the second leg next Tuesday, Can demanded a response. “We owe our fans a performance. We have to throw everything at it to win that game.” Dortmund, currently eighth in the Bundesliga with 41 points, five off the Champions League places, face a steep climb to salvage their season.
Winger Karim Adeyemi shared Can’s dismay, calling the display “embarrassing” in comments after the game. “It’s not what we wanted—not me, not the team. There’s a flicker of hope for the second leg, but it’s going to be tough,” he said. Playing at home, Adeyemi added, keeps the dream alive. “It’s football. We have to cling to that.”
Barcelona, on a treble hunt, head to Germany oozing confidence after a ruthless showing that exposed Dortmund’s frailties. The Catalans’ attacking flair left the visitors reeling, with their semi-final hopes now teetering on the edge.
The pressure’s mounting on head coach Niko Kovac, who took over in February 2025 after Nuri Şahin’s sacking. On X, Can doubled down Thursday, posting, “Attitude beats talent when talent lacks attitude. We fix this together or not at all.”
Kovac, meanwhile, has vowed to fight back, telling reporters, “In football, you fall, but you get up. We’ll show our character in the next leg.” With the Signal Iduna Park crowd behind them, Dortmund face a do-or-die battle to keep their European dream alive.
