Flick's side, undefeated in 24 games across all competitions, are not taking Dortmund for granted despite carrying a 4-0 advantage into the return at Signal Iduna Park.

Barcelona extended their advantage in the Spanish top flight with a 1-0 win at Leganes on Saturday, completing a 12-match unbeaten run and moving seven points clear of second-placed Real Madrid.

Rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona, locked in a title battle in La Liga and set to face off in the Copa del Rey final, have "a lot of respect" for each other, says Los Blancos coach Carlo Ancelotti.

Spain's National Sports Council (CSD) on Thursday upheld an appeal filed by Barcelona players Dani Olmo and Pau Victor which will allow them to play for the club until the end of the season, a decision LaLiga said they would appeal.

But Robert Lewandowski came to the rescue at 1-1 as the 36-year-old netted twice to guide Barcelona to the win. The Polish striker also extended his tally at the top of LaLiga's scoring chart to 25 goals.

Leading LaLiga with 63 points, Barca face Girona on Sunday after only two days rest following their 3-0 triumph over Osasuna and over the next 17 days they have six matches in all competitions.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said his team will face Benfica in the Champions League on Tuesday playing for club doctor Carles Minarro, who died on Saturday.

Barca have the opportunity to return to the top when they host sixth-placed Rayo Vallecano at the Olympic Stadium on Monday, after both their main rivals dropped points on Saturday.

Los Blancos were beaten 1-0 at relegation-battling Espanyol on Saturday and subsequently sent a furious letter to the Spanish football federation blasting the country's refereeing as "rigged" and "completely discredited".

Barcelona need to maintain their focus till the end of games to ensure they stop dropping points in matches they should have won, coach Hansi Flick said on Saturday, after his team slipped to third in LaLiga due to a four-match winless streak.

Barcelona were 4-2 down towards the end of the match before goals from Robert Lewandowski, Eric Garcia and Raphinha secured their comeback.

Raphinha struck a dramatic winner in stoppage time as Barcelona came from behind to beat Benfica 5-4 in a wild match on Tuesday and virtually ensure direct qualification to the Champions League last 16.

The Catalan giants have won just one of their last eight league games, falling behind rivals Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, but by contrast are flying high in Europe.

Last season, around this time, there was a surprise package in Girona in the top three of LaLiga. However, a year later, the Spanish league has returned to the status quo, with Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid -- the three giants of Spain -- occupying the top three spots on the table at the end of 2024.

Manager Hansi Flick expressed frustration over Barcelona's struggle to acquire new players' licences for Dani Olmo and Pau Victor but remained optimistic ahead of their Copa del Rey match against Barbastro, praising the duo's attitude.

Barca have now gone three games without a LaLiga win having picked up five points out of a possible 21, suffering defeats by Leganes and Las Palmas in their previous two home games. They are three points behind Atletico having played a game more.

Diego Simeone's red-hot Atletico are one of the most in-form teams in Europe on an 11-game winning streak in all competitions and looking like a well-oiled machine with Antoine Griezmann, Julian Alvarez and Rodrigo de Paul firing on all cylinders.

 Barcelona's young team can learn from the setbacks they have faced in their LaLiga campaign and continue to improve, manager Hansi Flick said on Tuesday ahead of their Champions League meeting with Borussia Dortmund.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick on Friday said teenage winger Lamine Yamal will return after three weeks out with injury for this weekend's game against Las Palmas in La Liga.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said Friday he would ask his players if they can win without injured teenage winger Lamine Yamal.