Barcelona 3-3 Inter Milan: Golazos galore in explosive Champions League first leg

The second leg can’t possibly be as thrilling as the first, but if it is then Barcelona vs Inter Milan might just go down as the greatest UEFA Champions League semifinal tie of all time after the sides threw caution to the wind and in an exhausting 3-3 draw in Catalonia on Wednesday.

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Inter Milan were ahead after just 30 seconds, and that set a tone and tempo that Barcelona had no choice but to match. Marcus Thuram got on the end of Denzel Dumfries’ cross and scored with outrageous flick as Inter made their way down the field for the very first time. Dumfries was hardly done making his mark as he then scored his first of two goals in the 21st minute, climbing high in the air to rip an overhead kick past Wojciech Szczesny off a corner kick — not the last time Inter would hurt Barca on a set piece either.

The 2-0 lead lasted just three minutes, because Lamine Yamal was ready for his moment in the spotlight. The 17-year-old, making his 100th Barcelona appearance, received the ball near the sideline some 35 yards and hurriedly dribbling out of trouble back toward his own goal. He turned away from the pressure of Thuram, surged forward to beat Henrikh Mkhitaryan and, just as he was set to be challenged by Alessandro Bastoni, pinged a left-footed floater off the inside of the far post. Not his first iconic moment, nor his last, but one that will certainly be replayed and remembered for a long, long time.

Ferran Torres made it 2-2 in the 38th minute, and though it was a fantastically worked move in its own right, his goal seemed subpar compared to what came before it. Pedri hit a diagonal ball out to the left wing where Raphinha met it with his head and cushioned it down to the top of the six-yard box for Torres to smash it home.

There were more fireworks in quick succession in the second half, as Dumfries climbed above a sea of Blaugrana shirts to head home Hakan Calhanoglu’s corner kick in the 63rd minute, but again the lead was short-lived. Dani Olmo played a corner kick to the top of the box two minutes later, Yamal let it run and Raphinha was lying in wait almost 25 yards out. The Brazilian’s shot smashed the front side of the crossbar, hit the back of goalkeeper Yann Sommer and found its way over the line for an instant (and last) response.

The second leg will be played next Tuesday at the San Siro in Milan, and the winner will face either PSG or Arsenal in the Champions League final at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena on May 31. PSG hold a 1-0 advantage after the first leg in London.

Player ratings - Barcelona vs Inter Milan

What’s next?

• Inter Milan vs Hellas Verona — Saturday, 2:45 pm ET
• Real Valladolid vs Barcelona — Saturday, 3 pm ET
• Inter Milan vs Barcelona — Tuesday, May 6, 3 pm ET (second leg)

How to watch Barcelona vs Inter Milan live, stream link and start time

Kick off time: 3pm ET Wednesday (April 30)
Venue: Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc — Barcelona
TV/Streaming: Paramount+

Barcelona vs Inter Milan live updates - by Andy Edwards

Barcelona vs Inter Milan final score: 3-3

Goalscorers: Marcus Thuram (1'), Denzel Dumfries (21', 63'), Lamine Yamal (24'), Ferran Torres (38'), Sommer (65' - OG’)

GOAL! Barcelona 3-3 Inter Milan: Raphinha hits the bar, then Sommer for an instant equalizer (65')

GOAL! Barcelona 2-3 Inter Milan: Another set piece, another Dumfries goal (63')

GOAL! Barcelona 2-2 Inter Milan: Torres finishes after Raphinha heads it into his path (38')

SAVE! Sommer gets fingertips to Yamal’s shot from an impossible angle (26')

GOAL! Barrcelona 1-2 Inter Milan: Yamal marks 100th Barca appearance with stunning curler (24')

GOAL! Barcelona 0-2 Inter Milan: Dumfries doubles the lead with an acrobatic finish (21')

GOAL! Barcelona 0-1 Inter Milan: Thuram scores with an outrageous flick (1')

Officially the fastest goal in UEFA Champions League semifinal history, clocked at 30 seconds.

Barcelona starting lineup

Szczesny - Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Martin - De Jong, Pedri, Olmo - Yamal, Raphinha, Torres

Inter Milan starting lineup

Sommer - Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni - Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco - Martinez, Thuram

Hansi Flick’s La Liga leaders are fresh off a thrilling 3-2 extra time defeat of rivals Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final, and they are the favorites to win La Liga. A treble is on the cards if they can get past Inter and beat either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League Final. Barca haven’t won the UEFA Champions League since a 2014-15 triumph over Juventus gave them five European Cups. Only Liverpool (6), Bayern Munich (6), AC Milan (7), and Real Madrid (15) have won the tournament more often than the Blaugranas.

Inter, meanwhile, were just in the final two seasons ago when they fell 2-0 to Manchester City. Simone Inzaghi’s men are three points off the Serie A lead but in the thick of a slump. They’ve lost back-to-back Serie A games to Bologna and Roma, sandwiching those disappointments around a Coppa Italia semifinal loss to heated rivals AC Milan.

Barcelona team news, focus

OUT: Marc Bernal (ACL), Marc Casado (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Alex Balde (left back), Robert Lewandowski (muscular)

Inter Milan team news, focus

OUT: Valentin Carboni (ACL) | QUESTIONABLE: Benjamin Pavard (ankle). Marcus Thuram (groin)

Barcelona vs Inter Milan predicted lineups

Barcelona predicted XI — Ter Stegen, Martin, Martinez, Cubarsi, Kounde, Pedri, De Jong, Olmo, Raphinha, Yamal, Torres

Inter Milan predicted XI — Sommer, Bastoni, Acerbi, De Vrij, Dimarco, Mkhitaryan, Barella, Calhanoglu, Darmian, Taremi, L. Martinez

Barcelona vs Inter Milan prediction

Barca are favorites to win the first leg at home, and multiple goals are expected at the Camp Nou. Inter’s losing streak is a worry, but Barca are navigating the 120 minutes put on their legs at the weekend. Maybe this will be tighter? Barcelona 2-1 Inter Milan.