- Inter defeated Barcelona 4-3 after extra time, winning the semi-final tie 7-6 on aggregate
- Davide Frattesi scored the decisive goal in the 99th minute, sending Inter to the final in Munich
- Raphinha reached 21 goal involvements in this season’s Champions League, equalling Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2013/14 record
Key Takeaways:
Inter are the first finalists in the Champions League after eliminating Barcelona in a semi-final showdown that the world will remember for a long time. The Italian side triumphed 4-3 after extra time, and on 31 May in Munich, they will play for the trophy against either Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal (1-0 in the first leg). Substitute Davide Frattesi scored the decisive fourth goal in the 99th minute. Before that, in regular time, the two teams repeated the dramatic 3-3 scoreline from the first match, making the aggregate score 7-6 in favour of the hosts.
Inter are Champions League finalists 🖤💙#UCL pic.twitter.com/Iv4JOplpns
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 6, 2025
The return leg in Milan mirrored the incredible drama of the first encounter at Montjuic. The Nerazzurri once again took a 2-0 lead, with goals from Lautaro Martinez (21′) and Hakan Calhanoglu (45′). However, the Catalans responded again, with goals from Eric Garcia (54′) and Dani Olmo (60′). In the 88th minute, Raphinha put Barcelona ahead 3-2 with his 21st goal involvement in the Champions League this season (13 goals and 8 assists), equalling the highest tally by a player in a single campaign in the competition — Cristiano Ronaldo in 2013/14. Moments later, Lamine Yamal struck the post, but seconds after that, 37-year-old Francesco Acerbi equalised, sending the tie into extra time.
In extra time, the turning point came in the 99th minute when Davide Frattesi, who came on as a substitute, found the net, sealing Inter’s victory. Barcelona’s last push for an equaliser did not succeed, and their wait for a first Champions League final since 2015 continues.
Inter-Barcelona is now the joint-highest scoring semi-final tie in the UEFA Champions League, along with Liverpool’s 7-6 aggregate win over Roma in the 2017-18 season.
The Nerazzurri will now fight for their fourth European title. They last reached the final just two years ago in Istanbul but lost 1-0 to Manchester City. Meanwhile, Barcelona missed out on their first final in a decade, with several big missed chances turning their Italian evening into a bitter memory.