Lamine Yamal’s roller that went in off the submit after {the teenager}’s nice dribble? Marcus Thuram’s nifty back-heeled flick? Raphinha’s missile that hit the bar and the goalkeeper earlier than discovering the web?
FC Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal in motion.(REUTERS)
And don’t overlook Denzel Dumfries’ bicycle kick, earlier than he scored once more with a strong header.
You may have your choose of nice targets from Barcelona and Inter Milan’s thrilling 3-3 draw to start out their Champions League semifinal on Wednesday, establishing a must-see sequel subsequent week in Milan.
Opta Stats stated it was joint-highest highest rating for a attract a Champions League semifinals since Bayern Munich and Dynamo Kiev completed with the identical rating in April 1999.
What was presupposed to be a distinction of types between the top-scoring Barcelona and the stingiest protection within the competitors became a shootout.
“We saw a fantastic match and we knew that semifinals are difficult. We could even have won,” Inter coach Simone Inzaghi said. “Our fans know that we’ve been giving our utmost in difficult times and we know that Tuesday will be a ‘final.'”
Thuram flicks Inter ahead
Inter matched Barcelona’s firepower with two goals from corner kicks, and the hosts needed another stellar performance from 17-year-old Yamal in his 100th appearance for his club.
Except for Inter’s start and strength in set pieces, Barcelona imposed its game and had 66% possession and created 10 shots on goal to Inter’s three, according to UEFA’s stats — but had to settle for a draw.
Thuram was a doubt for the starting 11 after missing Inter’s previous three matches — all losses without a goal. But the striker used the back of his heel to turn in a cross by Dumfries to stun the hosts just seconds after kickoff.
Dumfries then put Inter into what appeared to be a comfortable lead when he scored his first of two goals with a bicycle kick after a corner kick was headed onto him in the 21st.
Yamal takes over
Yamal sparked Barcelona into action in the 24th when he dribbled past two defenders and sliced a shot in off the far post. He went close to an equalizer moments later after gliding down the endline and firing a shot with just a sliver off an angle off the crossbar.
“Yamal is a fantastic player, in the big matches you can see his quality, and he showed it today,” Barcelona coach Hansi Flick stated about his ahead.
“At 2-0 down,” he continued, “I knew that this was a semifinal between great clubs and I knew that the huge experience they have was being demonstrated. They are good at set plays too, but Lamine showed us the way forward. His goal to make it 2-1 was so important.”
Ferran Torres rammed in a headed go by Raphinha to equalize for Barcelona within the thirty eighth.
Lautaro injured, Raphinha strikes
Inter suffered one other blow when Lautaro Martínez needed to be substituted at halftime, however Dumfries charged in to move dwelling a nook kick to place Inter again forward within the 63rd.
Raphinha wanted two minutes to drag Barcelona stage once more when his blistering shot from outdoors the highest of the field struck the crossbar, ricocheted off the again of goalkeeper Yann Sommer and located the web.
“Playing at home, we had the obligation to win,” Raphinha stated. “But the result is not that bad and we will prepare for the second game so we come out on top.”
Barcelona is attempting to achieve its first ultimate since 2015, when it collected its fifth title. In its first season underneath Flick, the Spanish membership can be attempting to repeat the treble of main trophies it received a decade in the past.
Inter is aiming for its second ultimate in three years, after dropping to Manchester Metropolis within the trophy match in 2023.
The final time three-time winner Inter lifted the European Cup it beat Barcelona on the similar stage in 2010.
The winner will face both Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal in Munich on Could 31. PSG beat Arsenal 1-0 in London on Tuesday of their first match.