Inter sealed a breathtaking 7-6 aggregate victory over Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals, knocking out the La Liga frontrunners in a thrilling encounter.
The first leg ended in a pulsating 3-3 draw, setting up an electrifying return fixture. ..Continue Reading
Inter seized control early, racing to a 2-0 lead on the night and extending their aggregate advantage to 5-3 through goals from Lautaro Martinez and Hakan Calhanoglu, who converted a penalty following a VAR review by referee Szymon Marciniak.
Barcelona responded with a spectacular second-half comeback. Eric Garcia and Dani Olmo struck in quick succession, and Raphinha’s 87th-minute goal appeared to seal their place in the final.
But in the dying moments, Inter threw everything forward, and veteran defender Francesco Acerbi pounced with a late equalizer, pushing the match into extra time. Davide Frattesi then struck the decisive winner to send the Nerazzurri through.
Having previously won the competition in 2010, Inter now advances to their second Champions League final in three years.
However, Barcelona felt hard done by, as they appealed for a foul on Gerardo Martin in the buildup to Acerbi’s goal.
Denzel Dumfries outmaneuvered the left-back before delivering a pinpoint cross, but Barcelona was adamant that a foul occurred, with coach Hansi Flick receiving a booking for his protests.
While official replays were limited, a fan on X shared slowed-down footage appearing to show contact, drawing over a million views and sparking a wave of furious reactions from supporters.
One fan said: “Robbing us was the only way.”
A second asked: “How come this foul was not reviewed??”
A third added: “It was a blatant foul. There was no live replay. It’s shocking that our players didn’t swarm the referee about it.”
A fourth fumed: “Dumfries prevented Martin from reaching the ball, now the shocking thing is there wasn’t even a reply, nor VAR check like it was nothing.”
Barcelona’s loss extends their decade-long wait for a Champions League final appearance, with their last triumph occurring in 2015 under the guidance of current Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique.
Following the match, Flick suggested that Inter gained the advantage in tight “50-50” calls but refrained from criticizing the officiating, instead choosing to commend his team’s determination.
“Some decisions were 50-50 and they have always gone to Inter,” Flick, a Champions League winner with Bayern Munich in 2020, said.
“That’s football. We have to accept it. I’m very proud of my team. Sometimes you think that some of the referee’s decisions are unfair. But we have to accept it and start again next season. Winning the Champions League is one of our objectives and making our fans happy. They have supported us very well. We will be back next season.
“I think about it, about the refereeing decisions but I don’t want to talk about it. It’s not fair to my team, who did a huge job. I don’t like to talk about the referee. I’ve told him what I think but I’m not going to say it here.”
Inter will play the winner of PSG and Arsenal in the final, while Barca will look to bounce back immediately with a crucial El Clasico game with Real Madrid on Sunday.
