FC Barcelona and Inter Milan delivered a breathtaking 3-3 draw in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, a match that lived up to its billing as a clash of European titans.
The game was a rollercoaster of high-quality goals, tactical battles, and individual brilliance, leaving the tie finely poised for the second leg in Milan.
Inter stunned the home crowd just 30 seconds in, with Marcus Thuram scoring the fastest goal in a Champions League semifinal via a cheeky backheel from Denzel Dumfries’ low cross.
Dumfries doubled Inter’s lead in the 21st minute, soaring high to convert a Federico Dimarco corner with a spectacular overhead kick. Barcelona, reeling but resilient, responded swiftly through 17-year-old prodigy Lamine Yamal.
In his 100th appearance for the club, Yamal produced a moment of magic, weaving past three defenders and curling a sublime left-footed shot off the post to make it 2-1 just three minutes later. The hosts leveled the score in the 38th minute when Ferran Torres latched onto a precise pass and fired home a first-time finish.
The second half was no less frenetic. Inter regained the lead in the 64th minute, with Dumfries heading in another corner from Hakan Calhanoglu. But Barcelona struck back almost instantly, as Raphinha’s thunderous 25-yard strike hit the crossbar and deflected off Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer’s back for an own goal, tying the game at 3-3.
Both sides pushed for a winner, with Yamal nearly stealing it—his close-range effort was tipped onto the post by Sommer—and Raphinha striking the woodwork late on. Inter also had a goal disallowed for a marginal offside on Henrikh Mkhitaryan, adding to the drama.
Barcelona’s attacking flair, led by Yamal, Raphinha, and Torres, was countered by Inter’s clinical set-piece execution and robust defending, with Alessandro Bastoni standing out.
However, both teams faced injury concerns: Barcelona lost Jules Koundé to a suspected hamstring issue, while Inter’s Lautaro Martínez exited at halftime with a hamstring problem.
Hansi Flick’s Barcelona, without Robert Lewandowski, showed their high-line vulnerabilities but also their relentless spirit, while Simone Inzaghi’s Inter, despite a recent dip in form, proved their knockout pedigree.
The match was a tactical spectacle, with Barcelona’s possession-based, cavalier approach clashing against Inter’s disciplined counterattacks and set-piece prowess. Inter’s early blitz recalled their 2023 semifinal dominance, but Barcelona’s fightback, spearheaded by Yamal—whom Inzaghi called a “once-in-50-years” talent—ensured no knockout blow was landed. With six goals, near-misses, and a pulsating atmosphere, this instant classic sets the stage for an unmissable second leg at San Siro, where the winner will advance to face either PSG or Arsenal in the final.
