Who said there’s no thrill to a game with chaos and disorganisation in defence? That’s what we saw last night at San Siro.
At the San Siro, disorder danced with destiny as Barcelona poured forward with their signature attacking fury, only to leave cracks wide enough for Inter Milan to carve their names into history.
Seven goals later, the scoreboard read 4–3 on the night, 7–6 on aggregate. And in the silence that followed the final whistle, one truth echoed louder than the chants: this was a semi-final for the ages.
It wasn’t just the number of goals – it was the rhythm of the madness. Just like the first leg, Inter Milan surged ahead, 2–0 and flying. But like a ghost from a week before, the lead slipped through their fingers.
Barcelona returned for the second half with more fire, and more threat, and by the 87th minute, Raphinha had seemingly scripted the final line with a ruthless strike to make it 3–2. On aggregate, 6–5 in favour of Barça.
But fate had one more twist.
Just as regulation time passed, within added time, Francesco Acerbi emerged from the chaos, slotting home a last-gasp equaliser. 3-3 on the night. 6-6 overall.
Extra time was no longer a possibility – it was a necessity.
Through Fratessi this time, in the first half of extra time, Inter Milan struck again. Composed, clinical, and utterly crushing to Barcelona’s hopes.
The man who had just been subbed on in the 79th minute has now put the nail in the coffin to seal Barcelona’s exit.
His winner wasn’t just a goal. It was the exclamation mark in a story dripping with tension, drama, and disbelief.
We got to witness a record-equalling number of goals scored in a semi-final match in the Champions League, which was seen in Liverpool’s 7–6 victory against Roma across both legs.
These are the kind of matches that leave a bitter sting in the heart of the losers, but for the victors, Fratessi’s celebration told the whole story.
Barcelona Had the Ball. Inter Milan Had the Moment.
Everyone knew the blueprint before kickoff: Barcelona would dominate possession, Inter would break with purpose. And the match delivered.
Barça ended the game with 71% possession to Inter’s 29%, 2.81 expected goals to Inter’s 2.28, 22 shots to inter’s 13, you get the gist.
Barcelona dominated the game heavily that you can’t imagine a world where Inter Milan grabs the win. They created six big chances, but only converted two.
Inter, on the other hand? Four big chances. Four ruthless finishes. That’s not just efficient – it’s surgical.
That was the difference.
Sommer: The Swiss Wall
While Fratessi may have written the final lines, Inter’s survival story was inked with the gloves of Yann Sommer.
The Swiss goalkeeper was immovable, impenetrable, and inspired. Barcelona should have scored more – many more – but Sommer literally tipped the scale in Inter’s favour with a display that bordered on supernatural.
Reflexes. Positioning. Presence. He had it all. If Barcelona couldn’t finish, Sommer made sure they couldn’t even hope, as he consistently denied the 17-year-old prodigy Lamine Yamal from getting a goal.
With seven saves on the night and a rating of 8.1 (as per sofascore) despite conceding three goals, it just goes to tell how influential he was in that historical win.
YOU CAN ALSO READ: From Tense to Titanic: Why the Champions League Semi-Final Second Leg Could Be One for The Ages
A Classic Born from Imperfection
Inter Milan knew what had to be done – and they did it. This wasn’t tactical dominance. It was the execution of a plan rooted in grit, resilience, and ruthless precision. They knew when to suffer. And they knew exactly when to strike.
The match itself was anything but clean. But it was unforgettable.
It reminded us why we fell in love with this game in the first place – not for perfection, but for the chaos, the comebacks, the rawness of moments that defy logic.
Barcelona played. Inter endured. And when the storm finally passed, it was the black and blue who stood tallest.
The dreams of a treble for Barcelona died under the floodlights of San Siro, despite a campaign marked by moments of brilliance and attacking dominance from the Catalans.
They had dazzled on their road to the semi-final, with fluid football and relentless pressing. But on this night, when it mattered most, they were undone by the very thing they had often neglected – defence.
In a tie that gave birth to countless twists and thrilling comebacks across both legs, it’s almost poetic that the masters of the comeback – Barcelona – fell just short when it mattered most.
As the final minutes slipped away, so too did their hopes.
There’s a saying in football: attack wins you games, but defence wins you titles. Barcelona proved only half of that equation true.
Their offence was never in question – fluid, dangerous, and inventive – but the backline was their undoing.
Too open, too generous, too easily bypassed in key moments. They flirted with glory but never truly held it. All they got was a brief, agonising glance at the trophy before it slipped out of sight.
This was the harsh but timeless lesson delivered by this match: the team with the more functional defence – however shaky at times – survived.
In a semi-final drenched in goals and defined by chaos, it was not the most beautiful team that progressed. It was the one that bent but didn’t break. The one that knew how to suffer, how to absorb, and how to punish.
And so, Simone Inzaghi’s men march on – not because they were flawless, but because they were just slightly less flawed.
San Siro won’t forget. Europe won’t forget. And if Inter go all the way – if they lift the trophy when all is said and done – then this night will not just be remembered. It will be immortal.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire
Recording Date: 06.05.2025