In a captivating first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final clash, Barcelona fought back from a two-goal deficit to secure a 3-3 draw against Inter Milan at a raucous Camp Nou. Despite a dream start for the visitors, who had been struggling for form, Barcelona’s resilience and attacking prowess ensured the tie remains finely balanced heading into next week’s return leg at the San Siro. �
Inter Milan stunned the home crowd within the opening minute. A dangerous cross from Denzel Dumfries was met by a sublime flick from Marcus Thuram, leaving Wojciech Szczesny with no chance as the ball nestled into the bottom corner. �
Barcelona, reeling from the early setback, sought an immediate response. Ferran Torres had two clear opportunities inside the box but failed to capitalize, firing both attempts wide. These misses proved costly as Inter doubled their advantage in the 21st minute. Francesco Acerbi’s clever flick-on found Dumfries, who finished with a spectacular acrobatic volley.
However, Barcelona refused to be disheartened and found a lifeline shortly after. Teenage sensation Lamine Yamal showcased his dazzling footwork, weaving past several Inter defenders before curling a beautiful shot off the inside of the post and into the net. The young winger almost struck again just minutes later, but his powerful angled drive was brilliantly tipped onto the bar by Yann Sommer. �
The Catalan giants continued to press, and after Sommer parried away a low drive from Dani Olmo, Barcelona finally found their equalizer. A lovely team move culminated in Raphinha heading the ball into the path of Torres, who made no mistake from close range.
Inter Milan began the second half without their influential forward Lautaro Martinez, who was sidelined due to injury. Despite this, they had a golden opportunity to regain the lead when Federico Dimarco blazed over from just 12 yards.
Undeterred, the visitors looked the more threatening side in the early stages of the second half, and their prowess from set-pieces paid off in the 63rd minute. Hakan Calhanoglu’s corner was met by a towering header from Dumfries, who restored Inter’s lead. �
The drama continued as Barcelona responded almost immediately. A stunning long-range strike from Raphinha crashed off the crossbar and against the unfortunate Sommer, bouncing back into the net to level the score once again. �
Both teams threw everything at each other in a frantic search for a late winner. Henrikh Mkhitaryan had a well-taken goal ruled out for offside, while at the other end, Yamal’s scuffed shot deflected off the woodwork. �
Despite several half-chances in the dying minutes, neither side could find the decisive goal. The thrilling encounter concluded in a 3-3 draw, setting the stage for a tantalizing second leg in Milan next week to determine who will advance to the UEFA Champions League final.
