“We Were Soft”: Emre Can Blasts Dortmund Teammates After 4–0 UCL Defeat to Barcelona

🗣️ Emre Can on Dortmund’s Collapse: “We Were Soft, Not United, and Made Simple Mistakes”

BARCELONA, Following a brutal 4–0 defeat to Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg, Borussia Dortmund captain Emre Can delivered a scathing post-match assessment of his squad’s mentality and performance.

“It’s not about systems. It’s about heart,” Can told DAZN. “We were soft. We weren’t cohesive. We made simple mistakes, and at this level, that’s deadly.”

Barcelona, led by a resurgent front three, exposed Dortmund’s defensive flaws and punished their lack of intensity. The loss leaves Dortmund on the brink of elimination ahead of the second leg in Germany.

❌ Kovac: “We Were Deserved Losers”

Manager Niko Kovac was equally critical in his post-match remarks:

“At this level, you can’t make the kind of errors we did. We lost the ball cheaply and gave them chances on a silver platter. The worst part? How little fight we showed.”

📉 UCL Dream Slipping Away as Domestic Struggles Continue

The loss isn’t just a blow to Dortmund’s Champions League hopes, it adds pressure in a season already unraveling. Currently 8th in the Bundesliga, Dortmund face the real possibility of missing out on next season’s UCL altogether.

🏟️ Second Leg: Too Late for a Comeback?

With Barcelona chasing a treble and now full of confidence, Dortmund must produce a near-miracle to overturn the tie. For Can, the message is now about pride:

“We have to give our fans a performance. They deserve that much.”