May 1 – The UEFA Champions League is deemed one of, if not the best, club competition in world football, and Wednesday’s breathtaking 3-3 first leg draw between FC Barcelona and Inter Milan certainly lived up to that billing.
In front of a sold-out crowd at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, the two European giants delivered a semi-final showdown worthy of any occasion – with the tantilising prospect of a rematch next Tuesday.
Just 30 seconds in – breaking the record for the fastest goal in a Champions League semi-final – Inter made it clear this wouldn’t be a repeat of Jose Mourinho’s defensive masterclass from 2010. Marcus Thuram opened the scoring with flair, flicking Denzel Dumfries’ cross past a stunned Wojciech Szczęsny in the Barcelona goal.
Twenty minutes later, Dumfries doubled the lead with a moment of pure magic. As the ball fell to him in the six-yard box, he launched into an acrobatic bicycle kick that seemed destined for the net from the moment it left his boot.
Down 2-0, Barça boss Hansi Flick looked concerned, but he needn’t have worried. His side boasts the world’s most electrifying 17-year-old: Lamine Yamal. The teenager dazzled on the right wing, twisting and turning through defenders before curling a sublime finish in off the far post. Moments later, he nearly repeated the feat, forcing a stunning save from Yann Sommer.
Inter, once in control, suddenly looked like a heavyweight pinned in the corner absorbing punishment from lefts, rights, hooks and upper cuts as Barça turned the screw. The host’s pressure paid off again in the 38th minute when Raphinha cushioned a header for Ferran Torres to tap home – 2-2 the score after a blistering first half.
Simone Inzaghi’s Inter weren’t done, however. From a 63rd minute corner, Dumfries climbed above Dani Olmo to head home and reclaim the lead. But as the old saying goes, you’re most vulnerable right after scoring. Moments later, Raphinha leveled with a rocket that ricocheted off the bar, struck Sommer, and burst into the net – 3-3.
With 25 minutes to go, the game opened up wildly, at times resembling an NBA end-to-end shootout. Inter nearly stole it through Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but VAR ruled him marginally offside by the distance a hair follicle.
Barcelona kept pushing, meanwhile, as Sommer was tested repeatedly, and Yamal came inches from sealing it with a cheeky chip that clipped the bar.
As referee Clément Turpin blew for full time, exhausted players from both sides exhaled after a relentless 90 minutes of football at its finest.
Contact the writer of this story, Nick Webster, at moc.l1746114177labto1746114177ofdlr1746114177owedi1746114177sni@r1746114177etsbe1746114177w.kci1746114177n1746114177