Inter 4, Barcelona 3 (May 2025)

Some matches need time to pass to truly age into a classic. Others meet the criteria right away.

As the masses watched Inter's 4-3 win over Barcelona on Tuesday — which delivered a spot in the Champions League final by way of a scarcely believable 7-6 aggregate victory — there was no doubt about its place in history. Not 24 hours later, voters on UEFA's website are labeling it the best Champions League semifinal tie of all time.

The first leg followed a similar script. Inter took a 2-0 lead that Barcelona slowly clawed back. But Barcelona didn't have the lead at any point of those first 90 minutes. Inter had found a way to beat Barcelona's high line, if not a way to keep the goals out. But maybe this was never about keeping clean sheets.

The lineups

A quick run through the pregame formations.

Lautaro Martinez returns less than a week after injuring his hamstring. He says he cried for two days but somehow recovers from an injury that usually takes weeks to heal. Benjamin Pavard, however, can't overcome an ankle sprain in time. Yann Bisseck, who could've started on merit alone, slots into the right center-back role. Barcelona are banged and bruised, too. Eric Garcia comes in for Jules Kounde, and Gerard Martin relieves Alejandro Balde. Robert Lewandowski is only fit for the bench.

The match

Reviewing the most important plays, including tidbits about the teams and players in action.

1' The opening sequence makes me think the game is going one way and one way only. Inter's breakout play dies as Garcia dispossesses Alessandro Bastoni, and Barcelona create a genuine scoring chance that's quickly ruled offside. There's no way Barcelona lose this game. Right?

4' Lamine Yamal picks up the ball at around the halfway line and skips past two of his markers. Dimarco comes back into the frame and has no choice but to go right through him. He's 17 and professional defenders who've won titles already understand that the best way to stop him is to just foul him. It's incredible.

9' Barca's high line returns and Inter try to exploit it with a diagonal ball over to Denzel Dumfries, who bullies his way past Gerard Martin before running into a dead end. Dumfries sends Martin to the floor with a clever back-heel touch that stops the move in its tracks. It's a sign of things to come as Barca are as attached to their high line as a kid is to their favorite toy.

13' The high line only works here because Inigo Martinez makes a run from deep to draw Marcus Thuram offside. Martinez literally jumps so that the offside line is higher. It's insane stuff. It feels like it's improvised, like the players sometimes forget that they're playing this system and only jump back into shape at the last minute. The chance also comes from a turnover in Inter's half. How necessary is it to play this high up the field when you're going to lose possession anyway? Surely there's another way.

16' Inter have played beautifully through Barcelona's press. Off a goal kick, left wing-back Federico Dimarco threads a quick pass to Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who turns his man and finds space on the other side. Once the ball gets to Lautaro Martinez, the Argentine is ready to play a diagonal ball back to Dimarco on the left side. It happens again a couple of minutes later: Bastoni connects with Dimarco on a quick one-two before scampering up the pitch. There's always an Inter player moving. We talk a lot about the age of this squad, but they're mobile and full of runners.

20' Inter are winning virtually every second ball here. They're running after all the loose scraps like stray dogs, and it's working. I don't think Barca have faced a team like this all season. It also doesn't help when Pedri, who's usually a magician with the ball, makes an errant cross-field pass, or when Gerard Martin's clearance attempt lands at Bisseck's feet. But every 50-50 ball ends up in Inter's possession. Inter midfielder Nicolo Barella finally fizzes a shot at Wojciech Szczesny after a wild exchange in Barcelona's third.

21' And there it is. 1-0 Inter. It starts from a goal kick. Veteran defender Francesco Acerbi flies out of defense to get to the ball first, and the rebound goes to Mkhitaryan. He gives it away under pressure but quickly teams up with Dimarco to sandwich Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong as he receives an outlet pass. The squeeze produces another turnover, and Dumfries is ready for Dimarco to set him free. It's like he knows the pass will come. For what other reason is a full-back loitering in a half space like that? This is the game plan. He sets up Lautaro Martinez for the easy tap-in, and it's so deserved.

28' Barcelona are monopolizing possession again and making lovely incisive moves but aren't creating anything of note. Then, when Inter launch Thuram on a breakout play, the temperature rises and they go for the kill. Barcelona think they're playing to their strengths by being so aggressive in and out of possession. They don't seem to understand that they're also playing directly into Inter's strengths on the counterattack.

36' We finally have evidence of Barcelona's high press. Lautaro Martinez receives a throw-in but can't hold onto it as Pau Cubarsi forces him back into Inter's half and another two Barca players crowd him out. Seven seconds later, Yamal is barreling down on goal and fires a shot wide of the far post.

38' Creating something out of nothing is what Inter do best, and Mkhitaryan flashes a shot inches wide from an otherwise innocuous throw-in that just happens to bounce into his path.

40' Inter are again off to the races after absorbing a ton of pressure. Bastoni comes out of defense to win the ball and Thuram collects it before releasing Dumfries, who's absolutely flying down the wing. He wins a throw-in and midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu arrows another shot narrowly wide. Barcelona need several minutes to create a real chance. Inter can do it in about 15 seconds.

45+1' A brilliant challenge on Lautaro Martinez isn't actually so brilliant. The video assistant referee recommends a review of Cubarsi's tackle, even as multiple replays show that he won the ball. But one last angle is telling. The 18-year-old goes through Martinez to get the ball. There's no way any referee would've called a penalty without video replay. Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, speaking on beIN Sports, hates that it's called. He claims Martinez looks for contact as Cubarsi slides into the ball. Inter sporting director Giuseppe Marotta can't watch. But he should: Calhanoglu hits a perfect penalty into the lower left corner because he's simply excellent from 12 yards. 2-0 Inter.

45+1' This incident gets lost in the madness of the game, but Acerbi loses his mind at Inigo Martinez. We don't know why until a video on X shows Martinez appearing to spit at Acerbi.

49' The pattern of play is virtually the same as Barca put their head down and gun forward. Inter are simply waiting for their moment to pounce. Thuram is such a pest out there, too. He's winning balls and drawing fouls and showing incredible movement for someone who only recently recovered from a thigh injury. And here's the funny thing: Despite all of Barca's possession, they trail Inter in shots on target. Barca's passing hasn't been great. Every miscue is letting Inter off the hook.

52' Acerbi dives for a wonderful header off Calhanoglu's free-kick, but even he knows he's offside. He doesn't celebrate at all. The high line works here.

54' And just like that, Barcelona are back in it. The commentator slagged Gerard Martin for his poor crosses in the first half, but the 23-year-old lofts a lovely ball for Eric Garcia to volley past Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer. Garcia has only scored two other Champions League goals, but given the quality of his cushioned finish, you'd think he had another 20 in the bank. Not bad for a defender who looks like an accountant. It's 2-1 now.

57' It's now a proper heavyweight bout. Inter coach Simone Inzaghi has clearly implored his players to create shooting opportunities off throw-ins. Here's another blast from 20-plus yards. Barella forces a corner-kick. Barca then have a counter. It's three on two. They try to walk it into the back of the net. Gerard Martin makes one final pass across the area. Garcia hammers it, and even if the shot is a bit central, Sommer adjusts and comes up with an improbable flying stop with the net wide open. There's not even time to watch a replay. These teams are swinging at each other and narrowly missing the knockout blow. It's incredible football.

61' So Barcelona are lucky to even get a free-kick here. Bastoni clearly wins the ball with a clever back heel as he tussles with Yamal. The referee thinks it's a foul. Raphinha delivers a couple of flat balls, and just when you think the danger has faded, Gerard Martin unleashes a spectacular curling cross for Dani Olmo to nod in. Martin has a decent left foot after all. It's 2-2 and 5-5 on aggregate.

65' Now Barca are winning duels and catching Inter in odd-man situations. They just play a little too quick here. Olmo wins the ball off Bisseck and hightails it into the area, but his flick over to Ferran Torres is a little long. Torres just isn't ready for it. That could've ended the tie there. Barca smell blood.

68' The referee initially awards a penalty after Mkhitaryan hacks down Yamal, but the Armenian midfielder actually makes contact slightly outside of the area, so it's downgraded to a free-kick. The free-kick isn't bad, either. Raphinha plays a pass to Olmo, who squares for Yamal, but De Jong gets in the way of his teammate's shot. But a penalty would've changed the course of history. It's crazy how a game played on such a wide surface comes down to literal inches.

73' So this is funny. Barca take a short corner kick, and as everyone waits for Yamal to make the next move, Acerbi is manhandling Pedri in the area. Acerbi pushes Pedri down, and then acts like he's about to pick him up, then pushes him down again. And again. He's telling Pedri to get up. The Spanish midfielder is complaining to the referee, but nothing is given. Acerbi loves being in the wars here. He's 37 and playing like he'll never get another shot at a Champions League title. Because maybe he won't.

77' Two players seem to have Yamal covered at the edge of the area, but he drifts ever so slightly to the left and rifles a shot that Sommer does very well to tip away. Yamal floats on air, honestly. How good is this kid? He doesn't go through the gears like Lionel Messi used to do. He's shiftier than that. Could he be even better in tight spaces? Yamal has twinkle toes. He spots the tiniest openings, and it's as if he says, "Yeah, that'll do."

88' Barcelona win the ball back in Inter's third, and Pedri spots Raphinha all alone. His left-footed strike is too strong for Sommer to hold, and the Brazilian smacks the rebound into the far bottom corner. Torres is offside at the far post but pulls himself away and isn't involved at all. That's the sucker punch. San Siro is quiet apart from the Culers rejoicing in the upper corner of the stadium. It's 3-2 Barcelona, 6-5 on aggregate, and, would you believe it, their first lead of the entire semifinal.

90+3' ACERBI SENDS IT TO EXTRA TIME! Because this game was always going the distance. How the hell does this happen? And what's Acerbi doing up there? So much has to go right for Inter and so much has to go wrong for Barcelona. And it all happens in about 30 seconds. Acerbi, a mad man, runs all the way back from Barcelona's area as Inter scramble for cover. Yamal smacks the upright. No matter, Barcelona have a throw-in, and they can easily waste time from here. But they lose the ball and for some reason have six players in Inter's half, leaving just four to defend the counter. Acerbi is downfield again. Sommer's long ball forces Cubarsi into a header, but it doesn't go far and Thuram collects it. The pass to Dumfries isn't great, and Gerard Martin has a chance to simply hoof it out. But he falls. Dumfries has time to cross it, and Acerbi beats substitute Ronaldo Araujo to cushion a right-footed volley into the upper netting. It's his first Champions League goal. It's his most memorable.

93' The fans are bouncing and Inter are feasting off their energy as they begin extra time the hungrier of the two sides. They're winning 50-50 balls again and beating Barca's high line with balls over the top. Barca can't or won't adapt. It's tough to say which one.

99' SUPER SUB DAVIDE FRATTESI GIVES INTER A 4-3 LEAD! Now let's rewind a bit. The play again starts with a fairly innocent goal kick. Mehdi Taremi, who relieved Lautaro Martinez in the second half, is facing Inter's goal but jumps highest and nods it into space. Thuram — it's always Thuram — gets there first and holds off two defenders as he sidesteps his way into the area. Frattesi is trailing the play, but no one's around him and he canters into the box. Thuram still has the ball and finagles enough time to slip a pass to Taremi, who keeps it away from Cubarsi and tees up Frattesi for the goal. How does Frattesi have so much time in such a dangerous area? Barcelona create a forcefield around him but don't do anything to actually stop him. The finish is perfect. He runs over to the barrier behind the corner flag and roars to the crowd with his tongue sticking out. He gets dizzy from all of it and falls to the pitch moments later.

107' Yamal is taking matters into his own hands. He doesn't seem to care that he has a 300 Spartans ahead of him. He stops and starts and straddles his way down the right side of the area and waits until he's on the goal line to hoist a ball for Lewandowski, who's finally in the game. But La Liga's leading scorer can't time the header properly. He outjumps Matteo Darmian by about two feet and has the whole net in front of him but steers it high. Lewandowski usually has no problems scoring from this kind of position. It really is Inter's day.

112' Inzaghi is fully outside of the technical area, as he usually is. He's probably run as much on the sidelines as any of his players have on the actual pitch.

115' That's it. There's no way back for Barca. There can't be after a save like that. Yamal unleashes a dipping strike from around 12 yards, and Sommer catches just enough of the ball to push it to safety. Yamal doesn't know what he has to do to beat this guy. That save right there is why Sommer finishes the game as man of the match. Yeah, he concedes three goals here. He also denies Barcelona three more.