BARCELONA, Spain — In a thrilling Champions League semi-final first leg, Barcelona and Inter Milan battled to a dramatic 3-3 draw on Wednesday night at the Montjuic Olympic Stadium.
The match kicked off with a bang as Inter’s Marcus Thuram scored the fastest goal in Champions League semi-final history just 30 seconds in, stunning the home crowd. Denzel Dumfries quickly doubled Inter’s lead in the 21st minute with an acrobatic overhead kick, leaving Barcelona in a precarious position as they aimed for their first Champions League final in a decade.
“I think everyone thought that once Inter went 2-0 up, that would be it,” said former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock. “But you cannot underestimate Barcelona’s attacking prowess.”
Barcelona responded with urgency. The 17-year-old Lamine Yamal made an immediate impact, scoring a spectacular goal in the 24th minute on his 100th club appearance to ignite his team’s comeback. He danced through Inter’s defense and struck a beautiful left-foot shot that hit the post and ricocheted into the net.
“Get the ball to Yamal” became Barcelona’s clear strategy, a testament to his control and vision throughout the match.
Barcelona continued to pour forward and leveled the score just before halftime when Ferran Torres poked in a close-range effort. Raphinha provided the assist, nodding down a diagonal cross from Pedri. The excitement coming out of the first half led many to expect a similar show in the second half.
The second half, however, brought more twists. Inter’s Dumfries scored again from a corner in the 63rd minute, showcasing Barcelona’s ongoing defensive vulnerabilities. “They are the oldest squad in the Champions League with so much experience,” Warnock noted. “Inter know how to handle pressure.”
But Barcelona were not done yet. Barely two minutes later, Raphinha launched a shot from distance that took an unexpected bounce off the crossbar and deflected in off Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer, restoring the draw at 3-3.
Both sides had opportunities to secure a victory, with Inter having a goal from Henrikh Mkhitaryan controversially ruled out for offside.
“I’m proud of my team; we played a fantastic game,” Inter manager Simone Inzaghi expressed. “Now, we prepare for the tough second leg at San Siro.”
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick pointed out the challenges his squad faced in defense but acknowledged that the thrilling display added to the game’s allure. “We need to analyze the goals we conceded. But our style of play was fantastic,” Flick summarized.
As anticipation builds ahead of next week’s second leg in Milan, this match set a thrilling stage for a result that neither team will take lightly. With the aggregate score at 3-3, all remains to play for as both clubs eye a spot in this year’s Champions League final.
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