Barcelona and Inter Milan played out a thrilling 3-3 draw in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final at the Montjuïc Stadium on Wednesday night, leaving the tie wide open ahead of the return leg in Milan.
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Inter stunned the home crowd by taking a 2-0 lead inside the opening half-hour, with Marcus Thuram and Denzel Dumfries punishing Barcelona’s early defensive lapses. The Italian side looked in full control until Lamine Yamal stepped up with a moment of brilliance.
The 17-year-old sensation dragged Barcelona back into the contest with a superb solo effort. Weaving through multiple Inter defenders, Yamal showed composure beyond his years as he curled the ball past Yann Sommer to halve the deficit. The goal ignited the Catalan side and shifted the momentum.
Moments before the break, Ferran Torres struck to level the score at 2-2, capitalizing on a sustained spell of pressure as the hosts finished the first half strongly.
Inter regained the lead early in the second half, with Dumfries grabbing his second of the night.
But Barcelona responded again, this time through Raphinha, who had been a constant threat throughout the match. His thunderous strike crashed off the crossbar, rebounded off Sommer, and into the net, officially recorded as an own goal.
Despite late pressure from both sides, neither could find a winner. Barcelona, under Hansi Flick, showed great character to come from behind twice, but will need a stronger defensive display in the second leg at the San Siro.
“The mentality was top class, especially from a young player like Lamine,” Flick said post-match. “We’re still in it, but we must be sharper without the ball.”
With a Champions League final spot on the line, the second leg promises another night of drama between two European heavyweights.
