Inter’s Dramatic Victory Over Barcelona: A Night to Remember

Inter’s Dramatic Victory Over Barcelona: A Night to Remember

MILAN, Italy — In a night that will be etched in the memories of football fans, Internazionale goalkeeper Yann Sommer delivered a performance for the ages. His “special save” against Lamine Yamal was the highlight of a thrilling Champions League semifinal that saw Inter overcome Barcelona in a match that had fans on the edge of their seats.

Sommer’s heroics came in the 114th minute when he somehow managed to tip a curling effort from Yamal wide, preserving Inter’s hopes. This crucial moment came after substitute Davide Frattesi scored an extra-time strike, securing a 4-3 win on the night and a place in the final.

In total, Sommer made seven stops, each one more vital than the last, as Inter, buoyed by a passionate home crowd at San Siro, triumphed 7-6 on aggregate after two exhilarating matches against Barcelona.

“I’m very happy, it was an incredible match,” Sommer shared with Sky Italia. “The team did something tremendous tonight. The last save from Lamine was a very special one. He’s a great player who always goes inside and shoots. I’m very happy it didn’t go in. This match shows that we believe until the end. Look at what Francesco Acerbi did, equalizing in the 93rd minute. We believed until the end.”

Inter’s journey to the final was anything but straightforward. They had twice squandered a lead to draw 3-3 in the first leg last week in Barcelona and saw another two-goal lead vanish on Tuesday.

• First-half goals by Lautaro Martínez and Hakan Çalhanoglu were canceled out after the break by Eric García and Dani Olmo as Barça fought back for a third time in the tie.
• When Raphinha struck in the 87th minute, giving the LaLiga leaders the lead for the first time, Inter looked to be heading out of the competition.
• But there was one more twist to come, with veteran defender Acerbi taking the match to extra time and Frattesi sealing a memorable victory.

Inter’s coach, Simone Inzaghi, was full of praise for his team and their opponents. “We must compliment Barcelona as well, because they are really a strong opponent,” he said in a news conference after leading Inter to a second Champions League final in three years. “It required a great Inter, so I praise my team for putting in two incredible performances over the two legs. It was the only way to reach the final.”

Inzaghi continued, “I am so proud and happy to be their coach. They gave me everything they had. It’s right that they enjoy their success in this stadium. They should enjoy every moment in front of these fans. They were exemplary. I told the players to believe, that we could try to limit Barcelona, even though it wasn’t easy to do.”

Despite not being at full strength, with key players like Lautaro, Denzel Dumfries, and Marcus Thuram returning from injuries, Inter showed immense heart and determination.

Looking ahead, Inter will face either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain in the final. Unlike two years ago, when they were underdogs against Manchester City, Inter will enter the final on more equal footing.

Inzaghi reflected on the team’s growth, saying, “We have grown in the two years since. What is most important is the journey, what we have done this season. We need to continue that. The Champions League final will be against a great team. Whoever it is, it will be a great match. After beating Bayern Munich and Barcelona, the other two teams will be difficult to beat as well, but Bayern and Barça are probably the best two teams in Europe.”

Before the final in Munich on May 31, Inter will try to catch Napoli in Serie A. They are three points behind the leaders and return to league action this weekend with a trip to Torino.