Inter punishes a Barça that has the sky to touch in Milan

Special Envoy to MilanBarça had heaven within reach of Milan, but just as they were edging towards their umpteenth comeback of the Hansi Flick era, their hopes were dashed by an Acerbi goal in added time that sent the match into cruel extra time. With two minutes left in the 90 minutes, it looked like Raphinha was about to work a miracle, overturning a 2-0 first-half deficit that, as in the first leg, was the result of individual errors. Inter, despite suffering heavily, made the most of their home advantage to eventually prevail in a tie (4-3) that, despite the outcome, once again makes Barça one of the most respected teams in Europe. The team, which fought until their last breath, ended up playing with a back three with Araujo, Gerard, and Héctor Fort. It will be a long time before they return to a Champions League final, but the journey to this point has filled Barcelona fans with a sense of hope that must now be translated against Real Madrid at Montjuïc.

In Milan, the team waged a colossal battle at the Giuseppe Meazza stadium, where the home fans shook the foundations and supported their team as if they were soldiers of the Roman Empire. The objective was to silence the Gaul represented by the more than 3,000 Barça fans who screamed and screamed to dream of returning to a Champions League final. In a hostile environment, the challenge was enormous for a team full of youngsters led by Lamine Yamal, who flew on the pitch, but it wasn't enough.

Flick didn't invent anything and the starting lineup was the same as in the first leg with just one change: Eric for the injured Kounde. Although the Blaugrana started the game well and weren't intimidated by the atmosphere, Inter played a trick. The Italians are specialists in this. During the opening minutes, the home side made Barça believe they could dominate. It was all part of a plan: waiting back, passing the ball to the Blaugranas without hesitation, catching them when they approached the box, and finding the legs of Dumfries, Thuram, or Lautaro behind the center-backs. Szczęsny had to step forward to cover the latitudinal space behind the defenders.

Inter's plan was merely a trap that worked like a charm in the first half, aided by Marciniak's excessive permissiveness. After the first quarter of an hour, Ingazhi's men came out of their shell and attacked higher up the pitch. This forced Olmo to lose the ball, which they would not forgive. The Terrassa native fell asleep at the worst possible moment, allowing his wallet to be stolen, and with the defense completely compromised, Dumfries passed the ball to Lautaro to finish at will. The goal was a slap in the face, but Flick's Barça, whose heart never stops beating, would respond with character.

Pedri vehemently demanded a handball from Arcebi that neither Marciniak nor Van Boekel, both usual suspects in controversial decisions against Barça, had previously deemed punishable. Barça. Cubarsí was having to tackle a play in which Lautaro was already on target, and although Marciniak didn't award a penalty, VAR warned him: the Estanyol center-back snatched the ball away from him, but the referee stepped on the players. The minimum that could unnerve the Catalan team was the least that could happen. Flick even went to find the Polish referee on the way to the changing room tunnel at halftime to demand an explanation.

After the restart, with Pedri trying to be everywhere, Barça tried with a faith that explains why this team has regained its pride in Europe. Eric's goal gave wings to a team that can never be given up for dead. The chance Eric missed, Olmo managed to make up for his mistake in making it 1-0, sending the equalizer into the back of the net. Rocafonda, with a shot off the post, would again score, but Inter still had a seventh life. Acerbi, in added time, would put a stop to the hopes of a Barça that already saw itself in the final. What an exciting moment.