Fifteen years after their iconic semi-final battle in 2010, Barcelona and Inter Milan lock horns again, this time at Montjuïc for a place in the UEFA Champions League final. The scars of that Mourinho masterclass still linger in Catalonia, but with new faces, fresh ideas, and title dreams intact, Barca are determined to rewrite the narrative.
Barcelona: Flick’s fearless force looking for a final return
Back in the semi-finals for the first time since their 2015 triumph, Barcelona arrive brimming with belief. Under Hansi Flick’s attacking blueprint, the Blaugrana have lit up Europe, averaging over three goals per game. Their comeback campaign has seen them overcome Dortmund and Benfica in emphatic style, scoring 21 goals at home across the competition.
Fresh from a thrilling Copa del Rey final victory over Real Madrid and sitting top of La Liga, Barca’s blend of youthful verve and veteran resilience appears to be peaking at the right time. Lamine Yamal and Raphinha have emerged as Europe’s deadliest wing duo, while Ferran Torres steps in for the injured Robert Lewandowski up front.
Inter Milan: Inzaghi’s iron wall tested in Spain
Last season’s finalists Inter Milan know exactly how to navigate deep into this tournament. But while they’ve shown grit and experience in ousting Bayern and Feyenoord, recent domestic form has stuttered. Three straight defeats, including a derby loss and a damaging defeat to Roma, have raised questions about fatigue and form at the worst moment.
Still, Inzaghi’s men remain incredibly hard to break down in Europe. They’ve conceded just five goals and kept eight clean sheets so far. Lautaro Martinez is in red-hot form, scoring in five straight Champions League matches, while the potential return of Marcus Thuram could boost their firepower.
Team News
Barcelona remain without Robert Lewandowski and may also miss Alejandro Balde, though first-choice keeper Marc-André ter Stegen is back in the squad. Wojciech Szczesny is likely to continue in goal. Gerard Martin could again deputise at left-back.
Inter welcome back Bastoni and Mkhitaryan from suspension, but Benjamin Pavard is a doubt with an ankle sprain. Thuram may return up front after injury, while Dumfries and Zielinski are fit again.Predicted Line-ups
Barcelona: Szczesny; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Martin; De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Torres
