Veterans and Rising Stars combine in San Siro classic as Inter Milan reach second UCL final in three years.
In a Champions League semi-final that defied belief, Inter Milan edged Barcelona 4-3 on the night — 7-6 on aggregate — to reach their second final in three years, thanks to a last-gasp equaliser from Francesco Acerbi and an extra-time winner from Davide Frattesi that lit up the San Siro.
After a pulsating 3-3 draw at the Camp Nou, few thought the second leg could surpass the drama — but football had other plans. Over 210 minutes of theatre, 13 goals, and endless emotional swings, it was Inter who emerged triumphant in a match that will be retold for generations.
The evening began tensely for the hosts, with Barcelona controlling the tempo early on. But Inter’s relentless high press paid dividends in the 28th minute. Federico Dimarco robbed Dani Olmo on the flank and released Denzel Dumfries, whose low cross found Lautaro Martinez. The Argentine made no mistake, lashing home to give Inter the lead and send the home fans into raptures.
Minutes before half-time, Martinez won a penalty after drawing a foul from teenage centre-back Pau Cubarsi. Hakan Calhanoglu stepped up and coolly dispatched it to make it 2-0 on the night — 5-3 on aggregate — and seemingly put Inter in control.
But Barcelona, bruised but unbroken, launched a second-half surge. Eric Garcia sparked hope with a stunning volley on 52 minutes before Dani Olmo nodded in an equaliser six minutes later to level the tie at 5-5. The momentum was with the visitors, and Inter suddenly looked rattled.
Then came Raphinha — Barcelona’s standout on the night and a player increasingly mentioned in Ballon d’Or conversations — who pounced on a rebound in the 88th minute to give Barcelona the lead for the first time in the tie. His celebration silenced the San Siro and seemed to book a ticket to Munich.
But Inter refused to wilt. Deep into stoppage time, 37-year-old Francesco Acerbi — without a single Champions League goal to his name until that moment — smashed home a dramatic equaliser to force extra time. It was a poetic strike, emblematic of Inter’s grit and refusal to surrender.
The decisive moment came five minutes into the first half of extra time. Marcus Thuram battled hard down the left and somehow wriggled free to square the ball into the danger zone. There, arriving late from midfield, was Davide Frattesi. The Roman took a touch and guided a composed finish past Wojciech Szczesny into the far corner. The San Siro exploded as fans and players alike sensed destiny shifting back their way.
Barcelona threw everything forward in the dying minutes. Lamine Yamal, ever the threat, came closest, but Yann Sommer denied him with a stunning fingertip save in the 114th minute. It was Barcelona’s final gasp.
At the whistle, tears flowed — of heartbreak for Xavi’s men and of jubilation for Simone Inzaghi and his players. The match was over, but its legend had just begun.
Inter Milan now march on to Munich, fuelled by the ghosts of their 2023 final defeat and buoyed by the belief that this team, forged in fire and defined by character, may just be ready to conquer Europe.
