Olmo demands more as Barcelona secure Champions League knock-out place

Barcelona midfielder Dani Olmo urged his team to maintain their focus after a thrilling 3-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund on 11 December secured their progression to the Champions League knock-out stage.

Barcelona took the lead twice, with Raphinha and Ferran Torres finding the net, only for Serhou Guirassy to equalise each time.

However, Torres clinched the winner in the 85th minute, capping a rapid counter-attack that began from a Dortmund corner.

The win places Barcelona in second position behind Liverpool, with 15 points from the league phase of the tournament's new format.

Olmo, who marked his return to Germany with an assist after spending four years at RB Leipzig, emphasised the importance of staying hungry. "We want to win every game. Of course, 15 points is a good tally, but we want more," the 26-year-old said.

Reflecting on the match, Olmo praised the Westfalenstadion's legendary atmosphere, calling it "one of the temples of football."

He added that advice from Robert Lewandowski and coach Hansi Flick, both of whom have deep ties to German football, helped prepare the team for the challenge.

Flick, speaking to reporters, described the first half as "one of the best we've played" since he took charge in the summer.

He acknowledged the significance of the win, noting that victory in Dortmund was pivotal for their qualification hopes.

"This is a special win," Flick said. "We knew that whoever won here would take a massive step towards qualification. It was our goal, and we pushed for it."

The coach, however, tempered expectations, highlighting the long road ahead for the five-time Champions League winners.

"Our first aim is to reach the top eight. If we achieve that, it will already be significant progress, but there's still a lot of work to do," he cautioned. "We'll continue taking it game by game, and so far, we're doing very well with that approach."