Inter Milan have stormed into their second UEFA Champions League final in three seasons after Davide Frattesi’s superb curling strike in extra time sealed a dramatic 4-3 victory over Barcelona at San Siro.
The Nerazzurri edged the Catalan giants 7-6 on aggregate in one of the most electrifying knockout ties in tournament history.
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High-Octane Start Sets the Tone
Coming off a breathless 3-3 draw at the Camp Nou, both teams picked up where they left off. The Nerazzurri set the tone early, with Federico Dimarco pressing high and winning possession before feeding Denzel Dumfries. The Dutchman squared it for Lautaro Martínez, who calmly tapped into an open net—his eighth strike in seven Champions League games.
As the first half drew to a close, Inter doubled their advantage. Pau Cubarsí brought Martínez down in the box, and Hakan Çalhanoğlu made no mistake from the spot, sending Wojciech Szczęsny the wrong way to ignite the San Siro faithful.
Barcelona Mount Valiant Response
But Barcelona refused to fade. Eric García volleyed home with venom after connecting with Gerard Martín’s precise delivery, injecting belief into the visitors. Moments later, García nearly doubled his tally, only for Yann Sommer to produce a world-class stop to deny him from point-blank range.
The equaliser came swiftly. Dani Olmo thundered in a bullet header from another superb Martín cross, restoring parity at 5-5 on aggregate and shifting the momentum once again.
Raphinha Puts Barça Ahead – Briefly
With both sides trading blows, Barcelona finally pulled ahead in the tie for the first time when Raphinha coolly slotted into the bottom corner for his 13th goal of the season. At that moment, the Blaugrana believed they had one foot in Munich.
Acerbi and Frattesi Turn the Tide
Inter, however, refused to accept defeat. Veteran defender Francesco Acerbi surged forward and guided a loose ball into the roof of the net, drawing roars from the home crowd and sending the semi-final into extra time.
Inzaghi’s men struck again in the 100th minute. Frattesi, composed amid the chaos, picked his spot and curled a delightful shot past Szczęsny, giving Inter a 7-6 lead that sent shockwaves through the stadium.
Sommer Stands Tall
Barcelona threw everything forward, but Sommer stood like a wall. The Swiss goalkeeper stretched every inch of his frame to deny Lamine Yamal’s bending strike, making one of the most crucial saves of his career.
After the match, Sommer said, “I’m very happy, we played an incredible match. Which save will I remember? The last one on Lamine Yamal; he is a great player and fortunately it didn’t go in. Many teams would have given up after going down 3-2 but we didn’t, and managed to come back.”
Final Whistle Sparks Jubilation
Inter’s backline held firm under relentless pressure, with the final whistle triggering unrestrained joy from fans and players alike. The Nerazzurri had conquered one of the most gripping semi-finals the competition has ever seen.
Simone Inzaghi’s side now turn their focus to Munich, where they will contest their seventh European Cup/Champions League final and aim to lift the trophy for the fourth time.
Stats, Legacy, and Reflections
The aggregate score tied the record for the highest-scoring knockout tie in Champions League history, matching Liverpool’s 7-6 triumph over Roma in 2017/18. Inter also extended their unbeaten run at home in the competition to 16 matches (13 wins, 3 draws) since their loss to Bayern in 2022.
Barcelona, despite scoring 67 goals in 14 games this campaign, fall short. Coach Hansi Flick remained proud: “I’m very disappointed that we’re out – but I’m not disappointed about the performance of my team. They tried everything. We’re out, but next year we’ll start again and we’ll make our fans, the club and everyone around us happy.”
FAQs
Davide Frattesi scored the winning goal with a curling strike in extra time, securing Inter’s spot in the final.
Inter won 4-3 in the second leg and 7-6 on aggregate, with goals from Martínez, Çalhanoğlu, Acerbi, and Frattesi.
Yann Sommer said, “I’m very happy, we played an incredible match… Many teams would have given up after going down 3-2, but we didn’t.”
Inter Milan has reached seven Champions League finals, including two in the last three seasons.
Barcelona scored 67 goals across 14 Champions League matches this season.
