Barcelona return to the highlight of Europe’s grandest stage on Tuesday, chasing a sixth Champions League crown and redemption at San Siro after a breathless 3-3 first-leg draw with Inter Milan.
The Catalans have been left bloodied however unbeaten after a chaotic opening chapter at Montjuïc, the place defensive rigidity met explosive aptitude.
Inter drew first blood simply 30 seconds in – the quickest semifinal purpose in match historical past – as Marcus Thuram’s fancy flick surprised the hosts and set the tone for a European traditional.
But Barcelona, using the wave of Hansi Flick’s high-octane system, punched again with equal fury.
Teenage phenom Lamine Yamal scored a thunderbolt and orchestrated a lot of the harm.
Raphinha added chew on the wing, and by full-time, the 2 heavyweights had shared six targets in a pulsating semifinal that left the tie completely poised.
Barcelona now head to the lion’s den of San Siro – a stadium the place Inter haven’t misplaced of their final 15 Champions League house video games, successful 12.
History, nevertheless, affords little consolation to the Blaugrana: they’ve gained simply as soon as in six visits to Inter’s fortress and boast a depressing document in Italy with solely 5 wins in 24 European journeys.
Still, Flick’s Barcelona have been nothing in need of electrical.
With 40 targets on this Champions League marketing campaign, they’re inside hanging distance of the membership’s personal match document (45 in 1999-2000).
Raphinha has contributed instantly to twenty of these – trailing solely Cristiano Ronaldo’s legendary 2013-14 season – whereas Yamal, nonetheless only a teen, has 5 targets, rubbing shoulders with Mbappe, Haaland and Raul within the document books.
Since their quarterfinal loss to Dortmund’s reserves in a lifeless rubber, Barca have reeled off wins in opposition to Real Madrid within the Copa del Rey closing and Real Valladolid in La Liga, tightening their grip on home dominance.
With the Spanish Super Cup already within the bag, a treble stays firmly inside attain.
But this semi isn’t any formality.
Inter, who outmuscled Barcelona at this very stage en path to their 2010 title beneath Mourinho, are battle-hardened as soon as once more.
Simone Inzaghi’s facet stormed by means of the group with 19 factors – matching Barca – and eradicated Feyenoord and Bayern Munich on the way in which to the final 4.
Their protection had been near-impenetrable, with solely 5 targets conceded and eight clear sheets earlier than final week’s shootout.
Inzaghi’s workforce mirrors Mourinho’s outdated guard in age and expertise.
Though their Coppa Italia exit to AC Milan derailed treble desires, and so they’ve fallen behind Napoli in Serie A, they continue to be a unit that is aware of how one can grind out leads to Europe.
But they’ll be with out their talisman on Tuesday.
Lautaro Martinez, the membership’s high scorer, is sidelined with a hamstring damage, together with French defender Benjamin Pavard. That opens the door for both Mehdi Taremi or Marko Arnautovic to steer the road.
Inzaghi rotated closely in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Verona, ending a five-game winless run.
Kristjan Asllani netted early, whereas key males like Dumfries, Thuram, Mkhitaryan and Sommer have been rested and can return to face Barca.
Barcelona additionally shuffled their deck forward of the showdown.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen began his first sport since damage, and stars together with Yamal, Raphinha, and Pau Cubarsi are anticipated to return to the XI.
Jules Kounde stays out, however there’s optimism across the returns of Robert Lewandowski and Alejandro Balde, each of whom might make the bench.
Flick, a Champions League winner with Bayern, has restored confidence and readability to Barcelona’s play. Tuesday’s mission is obvious: finish a decadelong anticipate a closing, overcome historical past and silence the San Siro.
The stakes are a ticket to Berlin and a showdown with both Arsenal or PSG.
Source: www.dailysabah.com