How Inter stunned Barcelona: from VAR controversy to dramatic late goal
Inter Milan's Davide Frattesi celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal (AP)
Inter Milan are through to a second Champions League final in three years after defeating Barcelona in an epic semi-final.
Inter, who lost to Manchester City in the 2022 final, will aim to win their fourth European Cup against either Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal in Munich on May 31 after winning an astonishing tie 7-6 on aggregate.
After a 3-3 draw last week, Barcelona were moments away from a first Champions League final in 10 years when Raphinha fired the visitors into the lead for the first time in the semi-final.
But Francesco Acerbi rescued Inter deep in stoppage time and Davide Frattesi put the hosts 4-3 ahead in extra time to settle a breathless contest that will be remembered for years to come.
The tie equalled the record number of goals in a Champions League semi-final. Here's how it unfolded, turn by turn.
Inter's daring press stuns Barcelona
22 mins: Inter 1-0 Barcelona (4-3)
Before the second leg, a lot of the tactical discussion naturally centered around Barcelona's high line and whether Hansi Flick's side could sustain such a bold approach to reach the Champions League final.
But at the San Siro, Inter were just as daring in their high defensive press, which in turn was their best form of attack as Inter dominated the first half. It would have been understandable for Federico DiMarco to concentrate on his defensive duties in his rematch with Lamine Yamal, but the Inter wing-back took up advanced positions throughout the opening quarter and helped squeeze Barcelona.
The Italian timed his press of Dani Olmo to perfection to help set up Inter's opening goal, stealing in from behind as Barcelona looked to play through. When DiMarco regained possession, the advanced position of the other wing-back, the relentless Denzel Dumfries, allowed Inter to capitalise and he selflessly squared for the returning Lautaro Martinez to finish into an empty net.
Martinez recovered from a hamstring injury to open the scoring (REUTERS)
VAR intervention correct as Cubarsi pays price
44 mins: Inter 2-0 Barcelona (5-3)
At the first look, Barcelona centre-back Pau Cubarsi looked to have won his challenge on Lautaro Martinez as went to ground in the box. But, in the age of VAR, the 18-year-old needed to timed his challenge to perfection to survive the initial review. and the subsequent replays revealed that the Inter captain got there first and Cubarsi made contact with Martinez's foot and not the ball.
It shows how fine the margins are that Barcelona thought Cubarsi had won the ball - indeed, on Prime Video, Alan Shearer and former Champions League final referee Mark Clattenburg believed the challenge was fair - but it also highlighted the inexperience of the young Spain defender, particularly with Barcelona trailing by one so close before half time.
Pau Cubarsi fouled Martinez in the box (REUTERS)
Barcelona's back-up full-backs lead the comeback
59 mins: Inter 2-2 Barcelona (5-5)
Of all the players to give Barcelona hope in the semi-final, no one in the San Siro had their money on the two full-backs, who wouldn't even be in their strongest line-ups had everyone been available. But another extraordinary comeback from Barcelona was led by Eric Garcia and Gerard Martin, the right back and left back who were standing in for Alejandro Balde and Jules Kounde.
Martin looked out of depth at times in last week's first leg but produced a couple of wonderful crosses with his left foot as Barcelona scored twice in six minutes to stun Inter. His first was met by an even better connection from Garcia, who steered his volley into the top corner.
Then, moments after Garcia shot straight at Yann Sommer from point-blank range, Martin guided another pinpoint cross into the box for Dani Olmo to head in at the back post. The timing of Olmo's header was key as Garcia's miss seconds before could have stalled Barcelona's momentum.
Eric Garcia celebrates after giving Barcelona hope (REUTERS)
Inter changes key as Barcelona take control
87 mins: Inter 2-3 Barcelona (5-6)
Once Barcelona were level, the flow of the second half was much more like last week's first leg, with Hansi Flick's side controlling possession and Inter struggling to play out against their suffocating press.
A couple of changes from Inter did not help as they started to lose their grip. Federico DiMarco, who had been winning his duel with Lamine Yamal, was replaced by Carlos Augusto on 55 minutes. Captain Lautaro Martinez was then taken off, having lasted 71 minutes after injuring his hamstring in last week's draw.
In fact, Inter manager Simone Inzaghi used all five substitutes by the 80th minute, as midfielders Hakan Calhanoglu and Henrikh Mkhitaryan and centre-back Yann Aurel Bisseck made way. Inter lacked energy and Simeone's changes - with Mehdi Taremi, Matteo Darmian, Piotr Zielinski and Davide Frattesi also introduced - did not stall Barcelona's growing belief.
So, when Raphinha fired his rebound in off the far post in the 87th minute, it was a goal that had been coming for a long while, even if it gave Barcelona the lead for the first time in the tie.
Raphinha celebrates his 87th minute strike to fire Barcelona in front (REUTERS)
Extraordinary and inexplicable late drama
90+3 mins: Inter 3-3 Barcelona (6-6)
But it was not done yet. Just as Lamine Yamal looked to add the crowning moment to Barcelona's comeback, the semi-final took another twist. Yamal hit the bottom of the near post with a low strike from the edge of the box, that would have settled it.
Instead, Inter went down the other end. Denzel Dumfries was involved again and he squared for Inter's 37-year-old veteran Francesco Acerbi to score just his fifth goal for the club, with an audacious outside-of-the-foot finish high into the roof of the net from the near post. Acerbi had been thrown forward as a makeshift striker. Wow, did he deliver.
There was still time for Yamal to have a chance to send Barcelona to the final, but he shot straight at Sommer in a chance that he couldn't quite get out from under his feet.
Acerbi rescued Inter with his first Champions League goal (REUTERS)
Inter strengthened by fresh legs and Marcus Thuram
99 mins: Inter 4-3 Barcelona (7-6)
So to extra time, where Inter were buoyed by Acerbi's dramatic equaliser and the hosts felt the benefit of Inzaghi's early changes. That was evident with the composure displayed by Davide Frattesi, who guided a deft finish into the far corner to once again give Inter the lead, having been set up by another calm lay-off from Mehdi Taremi, another substitute.
The key role in Inter's fourth of the night, though, came from Marcus Thuram, who stepped up after the loss of captain Martinez. Thuram had the beating of Barcelona's much-changed back-line, as he held off Hector Fort and then Ronald Araujo, to get to the byline and square the ball to Taremi. It was another moment of class from the remaining part of Inter's lethal front two.
(REUTERS)
Lamine Yamal denied stunning moment by Yann Sommer
115 mins: Inter 4-3 Barcelona (7-6)
It just wasn't Lamine Yamal's night. There should be plenty more, but the 17-year-old still came close to another astonishing moment of magic as he looked to rescue Barcelona in extra time.
Just as he did on countless occasions throughout the tie, the teeanger looked to drag Barcelona back into it, and it took an unbelievable diving stop from Yann Sommer to deny him a last-gasp equaliser.
Sommer, who would finish the tie having made 14 saves across both legs, produced a fingertip save at full stretch to push Yamal's curling effort wide of the post. Sommer conceded six goals across the tie and yet showed why he is among the best in the world with that vital save, which secured Inter their place in the final.
'It's difficult to read him and I'm really happy I was quick enough,' player of the match Sommer said. 'For sure, one of the most important saves of my career. It gave us energy and we believed we could do it.'
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