In a pulsating UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg at the San Siro, Inter Milan triumphed 4-3 over FC Barcelona after extra time, securing a 7-6 aggregate victory and booking their place in the final. The match was a rollercoaster of emotions, featuring lead changes, late goals, and standout performances from both sides.
Inter Milan started the match with intent, capitalizing on defensive lapses from Barcelona. Lautaro Martínez opened the scoring in the 12th minute, firing home after a well-timed through ball. Hakan Çalhanoğlu doubled the lead in the 39th minute, converting a penalty awarded after a VAR review for a handball by Eric García. The hosts entered halftime with a 2-0 advantage, seemingly in control of the tie.
Barcelona, however, mounted a spirited comeback in the second half. Eric García redeemed himself by heading in a corner in the 58th minute to make it 2-1. Dani Olmo then leveled the score in the 72nd minute with a low drive from the edge of the box. Raphinha gave Barcelona the lead in the 87th minute, finishing off a swift counter-attack, and equaling Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 21 goal contributions in a single Champions League campaign .
Just as Barcelona seemed poised for victory, Inter’s Francesco Acerbi scored in stoppage time (90+3′), heading in a corner to force extra time. In the 105th minute, Davide Frattesi netted the decisive goal for Inter, finishing a low cross from Marcus Thuram. Goalkeeper Yann Sommer was instrumental in preserving the lead, making several crucial saves, including a one-on-one stop against Lamine Yamal in the dying moments .
Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi praised his team’s resilience, highlighting their victories over Bayern Munich and Barcelona as significant achievements. Despite injuries to key players like Denzel Dumfries, Lautaro Martínez, and Marcus Thuram, the team displayed remarkable determination. Barcelona’s coach, Hansi Flick, acknowledged Inter’s strong performance and expressed pride in his team’s efforts, vowing to come back stronger next season .
Inter Milan will now face the winner of the Paris Saint-Germain vs. Arsenal semi-final in the Champions League final scheduled for May 31 at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
