Champions League semi-final first leg: Barcelona 3-3 Inter
Barcelona and Inter played out a thrilling 3-3 draw in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. Inter took an early lead through Marcus Thuram’s backheel finish after just 30 seconds. Denzel Dumfries doubled their advantage on 21 minutes with a volley from a corner.
Barcelona fought back, with Lamine Yamal curling in a superb strike on 24 minutes. Ferran Torres equalized for the hosts before half-time, turning in Raphinha’s knockdown. Dumfries restored Inter’s lead in the second half with a header from Hakan Calhanoglu’s corner. But Barcelona leveled again when Raphinha’s shot deflected in off Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer.
Both sides had chances to win it late on, with Lamine Yamal hitting the crossbar for Barcelona. The entertaining draw leaves the tie finely poised ahead of the second leg at San Siro on May 6.
Key match events:
- 1′ – Thuram backheels Inter in front
- 21′ – Dumfries volley doubles Inter’s lead
- 24′ – Lamine Yamal curls in for Barcelona
- 38′ – Torres equalizes for Barcelona
- 63′ – Dumfries heads Inter back in front
- 65′ – Raphinha shot deflects in off Sommer
Match statistics:
| Stat | Barcelona | Inter |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 72% | 28% |
| Shots | 19 | 7 |
| Shots on target | 9 | 3 |
| Corners | 7 | 2 |
The second leg in Milan promises to be another exciting encounter as both teams battle for a place in the Champions League final. Barcelona will be encouraged by their fightback, while Inter will feel confident after scoring three away goals.