Yann Sommer’s crucial save against Lamine Yamal during Inter’s thrilling Champions League semi-final win over Barcelona is a moment he cherishes deeply.
His performance drew parallels with Julio Cesar, the last Inter goalkeeper to clinch the Champions League title. Inter faced elimination as Barcelona overturned a 2-0 deficit to lead 3-2, but Francesco Acerbi equalised in the 93rd minute, and Davide Frattesi secured their lead in extra time.
With Inter leading 4-3 on the night and 7-6 on aggregate, Sommer made a pivotal save in the 113th minute. He leapt to his right, using his fingertips to deflect Yamal’s curling shot that could have led to penalties. This save mirrored Julio Cesar’s famous denial of Lionel Messi at Camp Nou during Inter’s treble-winning campaign in 2010.
“It was a special save, one I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” Sommer expressed emotionally at San Siro. “I’m happy that ball didn’t go in.” Across both legs of the tie, Sommer made an impressive 14 saves, marking the second-highest number in a Champions League semi-final since detailed data collection began.
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Only Jan Oblak has surpassed this feat with 16 saves for Atletico Madrid against Bayern Munich in the 2015-16 season. Sommer also recorded 61 touches during Tuesday’s match, second only to Alessandro Bastoni among Inter players, who had 63 touches. He made seven crucial saves that night, many thwarting Yamal’s attempts.
Sommer praised Yamal as an exceptional player but highlighted Inter’s resilience: “A lot of teams would be exhausted after conceding a third goal, but not us.” This determination has propelled Inter into their first Champions League final since their triumph under Jose Mourinho in 2010.