Inter Milan seek Champions League final redemption after winning Barcelona epic
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Inter Milan's Davide Frattesi (left) celebrates scoring an extra-time winner in their 4-3 Champions League semi-final, second-leg win over Barcelona at the San Siro on May 6. Inter triumphed 7-6 on aggregate.
PHOTO: AFP
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MILAN – Inter Milan are one victory away from Champions League redemption after their chaotic, mesmerising 4-3 extra-time win over Barcelona on May 6, which propelled the Italian side into their second final in three seasons.
Simone Inzaghi’s team had been in a fragile state in recent weeks after their treble bid went up in smoke, surrendering top spot in Serie A to Napoli and being pipped to the Italian Cup by local rivals AC Milan.
But beating star-studded Barca, and the incredible manner in which they did it, has completely changed the atmosphere at Inter, who are now bullish about their chances of being crowned kings of Europe for the fourth time.
Inter will take on either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain in Munich knowing their task will be nowhere near as difficult as it was in 2023, when they were narrowly beaten by possibly the best Manchester City team of the Pep Guardiola era.
That single-goal defeat by City in Istanbul was a bitter one for Inter, who felt they were the better team on the night, bridging a monstrous financial gap with the mega-rich English Premier League club with tactical nous and desire.
“We’ve been thinking about this since the day after we lost the last final,” said captain Lautaro Martinez, almost sobbing with joy after the final whistle.
“Now we’ve got to rest and finish the season well, knowing we have another opportunity to make history.”
Inter have always had the reputation of being an anarchic, crazy club, as capable of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory as they are of winning major titles.
They fully lived up to their nickname of “Pazza (mad) Inter” during their thrilling 7-6 aggregate triumph over Barca as the Italian side won the second leg at the San Siro 4-3 in extra time after both legs ended 3-3 over 90 minutes.
Martinez had been a doubt right until the eve of the match but recovered from a hamstring injury in time to both score and win a penalty which gave Inter their 2-0 half-time lead, before Eric Garcia and Dani Olmo levelled the tie.
And Francesco Acerbi would ordinarily get a nosebleed being as far forward as he was to send the tie into extra time with his first-ever Champions League goal, at 37, just as it looked like Raphinha had sealed a stunning comeback win for Barca.
The Catalan giants could barely believe what they were seeing when super-sub Davide Frattesi guided home his extra-time winner.
“I’m lucky to have finished the game, I screamed so much that I saw everything black,” Frattesi told Sky Sport.
“I have to thank the physiotherapists because in recent days I was not well. I dedicate the victory to them. It’s incredible... Tonight, the incredible happened.”
If anything, the win felt like a mark of destiny for a grand old team, who have had to battle desperate financial difficulties and an enforced change of ownership just as Inzaghi has made Inter one of Europe’s pre-eminent sides.
“We were up against a great team, but we’ve been raising our game for the last four or five years, every single year, and we’re so proud of that,” said Martinez.
Inter Milan’s Davide Frattesi scores their fourth, winning goal.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Inzaghi risked ending the season with nothing but criticism after trying to fight on three fronts with a budget that is dwarfed by those of Europe’s other major clubs.
Inter, like the rest of cash-strapped Serie A, can no longer attract the world’s top stars, so Inzaghi has had to create a team unit, a spirit that shines through on the big occasion.
The former Italy striker said he would not swop any of his players for any of Barcelona’s, including the prodigious Lamine Yamal.
Said Inzaghi: “There has been a lot of talk about Yamal. I have seen another extraordinary player who is (Frenkie) de Jong.
“He impressed me at Yamal’s level, he cleaned out every second ball. I wouldn’t change mine for anyone in the world, but I’ve seen many strong ones besides Yamal.”
Victory in Munich would be just reward for a coach who joined a club in turmoil in 2021 following the departure of both Antonio Conte and a clutch of star players, and he was close to the sack not long before Inter reached the Champions League final in 2023.
Inzaghi’s ability was questioned after Inter lost a dramatic Serie A title battle with Milan in his first season and then finished 18 points behind 2023 champions Napoli.
But he has since risen to become one of football’s elite coaches and now he and Inter have the chance of a lifetime to win club football’s biggest prize. AFP, REUTERS
