Jan Sommer (37, Inter Milan), who thwarted FC Barcelona's offensive efforts, was selected as the Player of the Match (POTM).
Inter Milan won 4-3 against FC Barcelona in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals for the 2024-2025 season at San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, on the 7th (Korea time).
The match between the two teams, which ended in a 3-3 draw in the first leg, concluded with Inter's aggregate score of 7-6. Thus, Inter Milan advanced to the Champions League final.
Inter Milan lined up in a 3-5-2 formation. Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martínez formed the attacking pair, while Federico Dimarco, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Nicolo Barella, and Denzel Dumfries occupied the midfield. Alessandro Bastoni, Francesco Acerbi, and Jan Aurel Bisseck made up the back three, with Jan Sommer guarding the goal.
Barcelona employed a 4-2-3-1 formation. Ferran Torres aimed to score, and Raphinha, Dani Olmo, and Lamine Yamal were positioned in the attacking midfield. Pedri and Frenkie de Jong filled the midfield, while Gerard Martín, Iñigo Martínez, Pau Cubarsí, and Eric García formed the back four. Wojciech Szczęsny donned the goalkeeper gloves.
Early in the match, the momentum was with Inter Milan. In the 21st minute, Lautaro Martínez calmly scored the opening goal after receiving a pass from Thuram. In the 43rd minute, Çalhanoğlu converted a penalty kick awarded after a video review (VAR), extending the lead to 2-0.
Barcelona's counterattack was impressive. In the 54th minute, Eric García scored a brilliant goal to pull one back, and in the 60th minute, Dani Olmo equalized with a header, shifting the momentum. In the 88th minute, Raphinha's goal completed a turnaround to 3-2, but during stoppage time, Inter's center-back Acerbi finished off Dumfries's cross to dramatically equalize at 3-3.
The match headed into extra time. In the 98th minute, Frattesi received a pass from Thuram and scored the decisive goal, while Barcelona launched a full offensive with Robert Lewandowski, Fermín López, and Pau Víctor, but was thwarted by Jan Sommer's saves.
Ultimately, Inter Milan overcame Barcelona in a high-scoring battle, advancing to the Champions League final for the first time in 15 years since the 2009-2010 season. The final showdown for the 'big ear' trophy will be against the winner of the match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain.
After the match, football legends watching the game expressed their astonishment, according to the UEFA Champions League official website. Legendary Premier League striker Alan Shearer noted, "What we witnessed was truly special. Both teams faced off to create an unbelievable match. It was an honor to be here. I offer great praise to Inter Milan. They looked defeated, yet managed to rise again and ultimately advanced to the final. They deserve to be there."
Wayne Rooney also said, "After Inter scored the equalizer, it appeared they were the team to push forward. Barcelona ultimately ran out of ideas. I usually don’t praise goalkeepers easily, but some of the saves Jan Sommer made were exceptional."
Clarence Seedorf, who played for Inter Milan, expressed his excitement, saying, "Today was emotionally a very intense day."
He noted, "In the first half, Inter was nearly perfect, but Barcelona successfully countered, and afterward, Inter seemed to run out of energy. However, what surprised me was that they never gave up until the end. Who would have thought they could score such a dramatic equalizer against Barcelona?"
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