Francesco Acerbi and Davide Frattesi wrote themselves into Inter Milan and Champions League folklore because the Nerazzuri claimed a 4-3 extra-time win over Barcelona at San Siro to safe victory in a exceptional semi-final tie and e book their place within the remaining with a 7-6 mixture triumph.
Anybody pondering final week’s pulsating 3-3 attract Barcelona, which noticed the Blaugrana combat again from 2-0 down, couldn’t be topped was confirmed mistaken as one among European soccer’s nice cathedrals was handled to an undulating epic that may absolutely go down as an all-time basic.
Inter gave the impression to be in command after Lautaro Martinez’s Twenty first-minute opener and Hakan Calhanoglu’s penalty, however an astonishing second half noticed Barcelona mount one other restoration mission, which appeared to have been capped by Raphinha’s thirteenth Champions League purpose of the season three minutes from the tip of regular time after Eric Garcia and Dani Olmo had redressed the steadiness.
However there was a scarcely plausible twist as 37-year-old centre-back Acerbi crashed residence his first Champions League purpose within the 93rd minute to pressure further time, during which Frattesi discovered the decisive purpose to ship Inter into the ultimate towards both Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal and finish Barca’s dream of the treble.
𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐆𝐔𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋: ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑤𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒 🔥#ForzaInter #UCL #InterBarcellona pic.twitter.com/31ZJ793rGv
— Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter) May 6, 2025
Inter Milan v Barcelona
Inter’s superiority within the first half didn’t translate right into a clear-cut probability till Nicolo Barella stung the palms of Wojciech Szczesny on the half-volley, however there was nothing the Barcelona goalkeeper might do moments later after Inter harried Dani Olmo into dropping the ball.
Federico DiMarco had the time and area to select Denzel Dumfries, scorer of two targets within the first leg, after Olmo was robbed of possession, and the Netherlands worldwide squared for Martinez to fit into an empty internet with Szczesny stranded.
Barca responded properly to going behind, and the Blaugrana’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal had an opportunity to stage after good work from Olmo, solely to skew vast of the far submit from the best aspect of the realm.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Calhanoglu spurned presentable alternatives for the hosts, however Inter did double their lead on the stroke of half-time when Calhanoglu transformed emphatically from the spot.
It appeared initially as if Pau Cubarsi had stopped an Inter break with a wonderfully timed problem on Martinez. Nevertheless, a VAR verify revealed the centre-back had bought not one of the ball whereas getting loads of Martinez, and Calhanoglu subsequently despatched Szczesny the fallacious approach as he fired into the bottom-left nook.
Acerbi had the ball within the internet eight minutes after the restart, just for the flag to be appropriately raised for offside, and Barca gave themselves hope in spectacular trend a minute later.
Garcia was the unlikely supply as he scored simply his second purpose within the Champions League this season, sending a side-foot volley into the top-left nook from Gerard Martin’s left-wing cross.
An outstanding Yann Sommer save denied Garcia a second on the finish of a wonderfully labored counter, however the Inter goalkeeper was helpless to stop Olmo from restoring parity on the hour mark as he turned residence one other fantastic supply from Martin on the far submit.
Inter grew more and more ragged and Yamal drew a diving save from Sommer as Barca turned the screw, their stress telling with what appeared to be the decisive purpose when Raphinha snuck his effort on the rebound simply contained in the far submit after seeing his preliminary effort repelled.
The woodwork stored Inter hope alive as Yamal struck the right-hand submit with a low drive having eschewed the prospect to go to the nook flag, and that second of fortune set the stage for maybe essentially the most inconceivable of heroes as Dumfries received the ball on the best and noticed his low supply to the close to submit turned residence with unimaginable aplomb by Acerbi.
THE GOAL THAT SENT INTER TO THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL 😍
Sensible play from Thuram, and laid again by Taremi to Frattesi, who strokes residence magnificently in extra-time to ship the house crowd WILD 💥 pic.twitter.com/NjpvAOWKIm
— Soccer on TNT Sports activities (@footballontnt) May 6, 2025
Yamal fired straight at Sommer within the closing seconds of stoppage time, earlier than the delirium inside San Siro was taken to new heights after Frattesi guided a cultured end into the bottom-left nook following excellent hold-up play from Marcus Thuram and a neat lay-off from Mehdi Taremi.
Sommer twice denied Yamal as Barca sought one other lifeline, however there was to not be one other miracle reprieve as Inter clung on to emerge victorious in a tie that may perpetually dwell within the annals of Champions League historical past.
