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BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski struck again to lead Barcelona to a commanding 4-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals on Wednesday.
Lewandowski scored twice and Raphinha had a goal and two assists, leaving the Catalan club in a strong position to reach the semifinals for the first time since 2019.
Lamine Yamal also scored as Barcelona dealt a commanding blow to the German side's hopes of advancing.
“We’re not through yet," Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said. "Winning by this many goals is important and, when a team plays as well as that, goals normally do flow. We aren’t thinking we are through because you simply never know what might happen. Football is madness. We’ll be determined to play like this again next week.”
The return match is on Tuesday at Dortmund, which was last year's runner-up to Barcelona rival Real Madrid.
“We played very well but we can’t be thinking about the semifinals yet,” Lewandowski said. “We scored four goals at home but we still have the return leg to play.”
Spectacular stats
Raphinha added to his Champions League-leading tally by poking the ball into the open net in the 25th minute for his 12th goal in the competition this season. He than helped set up Lewandowski’s first goal of the night in the 48th.
“I play with teammates of such a high level here," Raphinha said. "We all know each other really well and that relationship level helps us as a team. Our stats are spectacular this season and I just hope that continues.”
Lewandowski scored his 11th Champions League goal with a one-timer in the 66th before Yamal closed the scoring in the 77th after another assist from Raphinha.
The 17-year-old Yamal has four Champions League goals, the highest by any player before the age of 18.
The 36-year-old Lewandowski has scored 14 Champions League goals after the age of 35, two more than Cristiano Ronaldo.
Lewandowski had scored 17 of his 105 career goals in the Champions League for Dortmund over three seasons from 2011-14.
The Poland striker is the Spanish league’s leading scorer this season with 25 goals. He has scored 40 goals in all competitions this season.
Three's company
Lewandowski is the third player to score 105 Champions League goals, not counting qualifying matches, after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, according to UEFA.
“In my head I always want to be helping the team with my quality and my goals,” Lewandowski said. “A striker always needs to be thinking about scoring goals, and when the team plays well it becomes easier for me.”
Raphinha has scored in each of Barcelona’s last four Champions League knockout stage matches, with seven goals in that span.
He entered the match with 11 goals, one more than Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy and Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane.
“Our three guys up front are terrific and very important but so is our defense,” Flick said.
Raphinha said he apologized to teammate Pau Cubarsí after the match for "stealing" his goal. The defender's attempt was about to go across the goal line when Raphinha touched it.
Barcelona, a five-time European champion, last won the title in 2015.
Also Wednesday in the quarterfinals, a wonder goal from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia upstaged a brilliant curling shot from teammate Désiré Doué as Paris Saint-Germain beat Aston Villa 3-1.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
