Inter Milan secured a thrilling 4-3 victory against Barcelona at San Siro, advancing to the Champions League final. The first leg ended in a 3-3 draw at Montjuic, setting up an exciting second leg.
Denzel Dumfries played a crucial role, assisting twice, including setting up Lautaro Martinez’s opening goal. Hakan Calhanoglu extended Inter’s lead with a penalty just before half-time.
Barcelona mounted a comeback in the second half with goals from Eric Garcia and Dani Olmo, eventually taking the lead through Raphinha. However, Dumfries assisted Francesco Acerbi for a late equaliser, forcing extra time. Davide Frattesi then scored the decisive goal in the 99th minute, ensuring Inter’s progression to their sixth European Cup final.
Dumfries was instrumental throughout the tie, contributing significantly to Inter’s success. He became only the fourth player in Champions League history to score two or more goals and provide two or more assists in a semi-final tie. His performance mirrored those of Alessandro Del Piero in 1997-98 and Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino in 2017-18.
Inter’s journey under manager Simone Inzaghi has been remarkable since his arrival in 2021. The team has reached the Champions League final twice, joining Real Madrid as the only other team to achieve this feat during this period. They previously lost to Manchester City in 2023.
Speaking after the match, Dumfries expressed immense pride in his team’s resilience throughout the tie. “It was a crazy match again, seven goals [on Tuesday]. It was incredible,” he said. “We fought until the end, and very proud of the way we fought today.” He also praised manager Inzaghi for his positive impact on the team.
Lautaro Martinez shared similar sentiments of pride and gratitude towards fans and family. Despite not being fully fit for the second leg, he acknowledged the medical staff’s efforts to prepare him for the match. Martinez leads Inter with nine goals this season in the Champions League.
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Looking Ahead to Munich
Inter will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal on May 31 at Allianz Arena in Munich for the final showdown. Matteo Darmian highlighted Inter’s determination: “We never give up. That’s Inter-we play with heart.” Acerbi’s late equaliser made him one of the oldest scorers in a Champions League semi-final at age 37 years and 85 days.
The team’s focus now shifts to preparing for their next challenge as they aim to reach new heights in European football by winning their upcoming final match.