Inter Survive Barcelona Barrage to Book Final Spot
In one of the most dramatic Champions League semifinals in recent memory, Inter Milan needed every ounce of grit, resilience, and brilliance to overcome Barcelona 4-3 on the night and 7-6 on aggregate. With penalties looming, it was substitute Davide Frattesi who broke the deadlock in the 116th minute at San Siro, sending the Nerazzurri to their second final in three years.
But before the goal came Yann Sommer’s defining moment—a full-stretch fingertip save in the 114th minute to deny 16-year-old Lamine Yamal from curling in what would have been a historic winner for the visitors.
Sommer: “We Believed Until the End”
Sommer made seven saves in a man-of-the-match performance, but none more crucial than his late stop.
“The last save from Lamine was a very special one,” Sommer said post-match. “He’s a great player who always cuts inside and shoots. I’m happy it didn’t go in. It was an incredible match, and this team never gave up.”
The veteran goalkeeper’s resilience reflected Inter’s wider mentality. Having seen multiple leads slip away—including the 3-3 draw in the first leg at Camp Nou and again after leading 2-0 early in Milan—Inter still found a way.
Barcelona Fight, But Inter Finish
First-half goals from Lautaro Martínez and Hakan Çalhanoğlu had Inter in control. But, as in the first leg, Barcelona fought back. Eric García and Dani Olmo leveled proceedings before Raphinha gave the visitors their first aggregate lead in the 87th minute.
With time slipping away, it was 36-year-old Francesco Acerbi who forced extra time, tapping in a loose ball in the 93rd minute. The San Siro erupted—and the energy spilled over into extra time, where Frattesi, who hadn’t trained the day before due to injury, became the unlikely hero.
Inzaghi: “This Took Everything We Had”
Manager Simone Inzaghi praised both teams in his post-match press conference but saved his highest praise for his own.
“Barcelona are a great team, and it took something extraordinary to get through,” he said. “We had players not fully fit—Lautaro, Thuram, Dumfries, Frattesi—and still, we gave everything. That’s what makes me proud.”
This run marks a significant evolution for Inzaghi’s Inter, who lost the 2023 final to Manchester City. Now, they head into the 2025 final not as underdogs, but as equals.
“We beat Bayern Munich and Barcelona. Those are arguably Europe’s two best sides. That speaks for itself.”
Next Stop: Munich
Inter will now face either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in Munich on May 31. But before that, they’ll return to Serie A action with a key match at Torino this weekend, chasing down Napoli in the title race.
Inter sit three points behind the leaders with the Scudetto still in reach.
A Night to Remember
From Yann Sommer’s magical save to Frattesi’s unlikely finish, and the relentless roar of the San Siro faithful, this was a night that will live long in the memory for Inter supporters. A night where belief, heart, and experience triumphed over chaos—and a place in the Champions League final was earned the hard way.
