Barcelona's defensive frailty costs them European dream
Soccer Football - Champions League - Semi Final - Second Leg - Inter Milan v FC Barcelona - San Siro, Milan, Italy - May 6, 2025 FC Barcelona's Pau Victor looks dejected after the match REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo
Soccer Football - Champions League - Semi Final - Second Leg - Inter Milan v FC Barcelona - San Siro, Milan, Italy - May 6, 2025 FC Barcelona's Lamine Yamal looks dejected after the match REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Soccer Football - Champions League - Semi Final - Second Leg - Inter Milan v FC Barcelona - San Siro, Milan, Italy - May 6, 2025 General view of the score board in extra time REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo
BARCELONA - Barcelona's dreams of a Champions League, Copa del Rey and LaLiga treble have vanished after Inter Milan roared back from the brink of elimination to grab a phenomenal 7-6 aggregate win and end the Spaniards' European campaign in the semi-final.
Another show of attacking genius by teenager Lamine Yamal and midfielder Pedri had put Hansi Flick's side within touching distance of their first Champions League final in a decade - before they succumbed to the same defensive flaws they have been getting away with for most of the season.
Barcelona are an attacking juggernaut with 163 goals in 56 games this season: 43 of those in 14 Champions League games.
But they have also been playing with fire at the back, conceding 24 goals in Europe's top-flight competition including four to Benfica, three to Borussia Dortmund and seven to Inter in the semi-final games.
Barca's thrilling season has included eight fightback wins in all competitions, including against Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Celta Vigo and a couple against bitter rivals Real Madrid.
But defeat in Milan showed they have to add some defensive steel to their swashbuckling attack.
After conceding 16 goals in their last seven matches, Barca's young squad has learned a painful lesson against a veteran Inter side chasing a fourth Champions League title and their first in 15 years after losing to Manchester City in the final two years ago.
Over both games, Inter scored seven goals in only 10 shots on target - ruthlessly illustrating Barcelona's vulnerability.
The Italians withstood a storm thanks to their fantastic goalkeeper Yann Sommer who made 14 saves over both legs of the semi-final. Barca lost Germany keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen early in the season and resorted to veteran Wojciech Szczesny, who came out from retirement but could not make the necessary impact in two close games in Barcelona and Milan.
LALIGA NOW THE PRIORITY
The five-times European winners cannot spend long licking their wounds: they must quickly turn their attention to LaLiga, where they top the table and on Sunday host rivals Real Madrid, who trail them by four points with four games to go.
Unbeaten domestically since late December, Barcelona will try to grab a fourth consecutive victory over Real this season and a second in less than a month after a win in extra time that earned them the Copa del Rey title a few days ago.
"It's very cruel. It's true that the team gave everything and deserved to be in the final, but we're young and we have to learn from this and next year we'll give even more of a fight," Pedri told reporters on Tuesday.
"Now we're hurt, but we have to focus on Real Madrid because on Sunday the league is at stake for us." REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Jorginho leaves Arsenal, signs for Flamengo before Club World Cup
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Champions League - Round of 16 - Second Leg - Arsenal v PSV Eindhoven - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - March 12, 2025 Arsenal's Jorginho applauds fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge/File Photo REUTERS Italy midfielder Jorginho has joined Brazilian side Flamengo ahead of this month's Club World Cup, following a mutual termination of his contract with Arsenal, both clubs said. Jorginho, whose Arsenal deal was set to expire at the end of the month, has joined Flamengo on a contract until July 2028. The 33-year-old Brazil-born Italy international moved to North London from Chelsea in January 2023, making 78 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal. Arsenal finished second to champions Liverpool in the Premier League in the recently-concluded season. "We can confirm that we have reached a mutual agreement with Jorginho to end his contract with immediate effect to become a free agent," Arsenal said in a statement late on Friday. Having started his career at Italian side Hellas Verona before switching to Napoli in 2014, Jorginho won the Champions League, Europa League, Super Cup and Club World Cup titles during his time at Chelsea. Capped 57 times for Italy, he won the European Championship in 2020. "Jorginho's first assignment with Flamengo will be at the Club World Cup," the Brazilian Serie A club said. Flamengo will begin their Club World Cup campaign against Tunisian side ES Tunis on June 16 in Philadelphia. The expanded 32-team Club World Cup runs from June 14 to July 13 in the United States with $1 billion in prize money at stake. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
7 hours ago
- Straits Times
Italy rocked in Oslo as Spalletti hints at crisis talks
Soccer Football - World Cup - European Qualifiers - Group I - Norway v Italy - Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway - June 6, 2025 Italy coach Luciano Spalletti reacts Lise Aserud/NTB via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NORWAY OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN NORWAY. Coach Luciano Spalletti admitted Italy are going through a difficult patch after their humbling loss in Norway and said he would speak with the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) about the situation. Italy have not reached a World Cup since 2014 — a painful drought for a nation that once stood proudly among football's elite with four world titles to their name. With an abysmal start to the qualifying campaign, after being dominated by Norway in a 3-0 loss in Oslo on Friday, Spalletti is already under pressure. His side were constantly punished by a Norwegian team that dominated on the counterattack and they were clearly second best on a rainy night at Ullevaal Stadium. "We need a bit more enthusiasm, as individuals. We need to add something more, otherwise something has got to change," Spalletti told reporters. "This is not who we are, because in terms of individuals, we can do more, but you can also see this is a difficult moment. A few things did happen to us, but this is the squad I chose and will continue with," he added. When asked about his position as the manager of the Italian national team, Spalletti admitted that there would be difficult conversation coming up with the FIGC. "I need to talk to President (Gabriele) Gravina about their intentions, their view on the decision I make," Spalletti said. "I chose this group because I thought there was quality, but if we are so fragile that we don't keep an offside trap, we don't chase down opponents, then there is a lack of confidence. "Quality isn't enough without that." Spalletti was also asked if he is worried that the World Cup might be already out of reach after the Norway loss. "There are always worries, because after a performance like that, you clearly have to ask yourself questions and realise there are problems, but you have to face them, because there is no other possibility," he said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
9 hours ago
- Straits Times
Late equaliser sees North Macedonia hold Belgium to draw
Soccer Football - European Qualifiers - Group J - North Macedonia v Belgium - National Arena Todor Proeski, Skopje, North Macedonia - June 6, 2025 North Macedonia's Visar Musliu in action with Belgium's Thomas Meunier who is holding North Macedonia's Eljif Elmas REUTERS/Ognen Teofilovski Soccer Football - European Qualifiers - Group J - North Macedonia v Belgium - National Arena Todor Proeski, Skopje, North Macedonia - June 6, 2025 Belgium's Thomas Meunier and North Macedonia's Ezgjan Alioski react as Belgium's Alexis Saelemaekers lays on the ground REUTERS/Ognen Teofilovski SKOPJE - North Macedonia equalised four minutes from time to hold Belgium to a 1-1 draw in their World Cup qualifying tie on Friday and keep up their unbeaten start to their Group J campaign. Ezgjan Alioski scored a superb goal as he latched onto a cross from Darko Churlinov that floated over his head before he met it with perfect precision to volley home. Maxim De Cupyer's first half goal had Belgium in the lead as they played their first game of the campaign for places at the 2026 finals in North America. North Macedonia have five points, with one win and two draws from their opening three games, while Wales took over the lead in the standings after they beat Liechtenstein 3-0 at home on Friday to move to seven points. De Cupyer bundled the ball into the net in the 28th minute after Romelu Lukaku's initial effort had been blocked by the heels of a defender. North Macedonia had a chance one minute earlier to open the scoring as Eljif Elmas turned into space in the penalty area and struck the ball against the far post. The rebound fell for Alioski with an open goal in front of him, but he hit the other post in a major missed opportunity. Elmas had the ball in the Belgian net two minutes into the second half but his shot took a slight deflection off teammate Bojan Ilievski, who was in an offside position and VAR chalked off the potential. But the home side finally got rewards for their efforts with Alioski's goal keeping alive their hopes. The group winners qualify for next year's finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States and the runners-up advances to the playoffs. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
