Inter Milan beat Barcelona 4-3 after extra time in another rollercoaster encounter Tuesday to reach a second Champions League final in three years.
In the end it took extra time, two astonishing Barcelona fightbacks and 13 goals – some of them mesmerizing – to separate the two sides and see Inter prevail 7-6 on aggregate.
Substitute Davide Frattesi was the extra-time hero for Inter, firing home in the 99th minute to leave the Barcelona players slumped to the ground and all his Nerazzurri teammates – including those on the bench – racing to celebrate with him.
Frattesi’s goal and a string of superb saves by goalkeeper Yann Sommer secured Inter a rip-roaring 7-6 aggregate victory in a semi-final for the ages.
The Italian side will face either Paris St Germain or Arsenal in the Munich final later this month, with the French team taking a 1-0 lead into Wednesday’s semi-final second leg.
Following a breathtaking first leg in Barcelona that had everything from early drama, late chaos, and dazzling moments from 17-year-old Lamine Yamal, the return encounter in Milan was even more dramatic, a rollercoaster ride that will live long in the memory.
It was a tale of two halves as Inter dominated the first 45 minutes and opened a two-goal lead thanks to a Lautaro Martinez goal on the counter in the 21st minute before Hakan Calhanoglu extended their advantage with a penalty right before the break.
‘The Incredible happened’
Sommer made two world-class saves from Yamal, who also hit the post with another stunning strike deep in added time, as Inter moved a step closer to their fourth Champions League title and their first in 15 years after losing to Manchester City in the final two years ago.
“I’m lucky to have finished the game, I screamed so much that I saw everything black,” Frattesi, who also came off the bench to score the winner in the first leg of their quarter-final at Bayern Munich, told Sky Sport.
“I have to thank the physiotherapists because in recent days I was not well, I dedicate the victory to them. It’s incredible, I don’t know what to say. Tonight the incredible happened.”
Barca were chasing a treble after winning the Copa del Rey, but will now turn their focus to LaLiga, where they top the table and on Sunday host rivals Real Madrid, who trail them by four points with four games to go.
The five-time winners were hoping to reach their first Champions League final in a decade, but were left licking their wounds ahead of Sunday’s clash.
Unbeaten domestically since late December, Barcelona will try to grab a fourth consecutive victory over Real this season.
“Football has been very cruel to us,” Barca defender Eric Garcia told Movistar Plus. “We were down 2-0 again and the character this team showed was remarkable.
“We are a team full of young players and this has been a great year. We still have the (Spanish) league to play for.”
(Reuters)
