Jan Zommer (37, Inter Milan), who blocked the offense of FC Barcelona, was named Player of the Match (POTM).
Inter Milan defeated FC Barcelona 4-3 in the second leg of the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League for the 2024-2025 season, held at San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, on the 7th (Korean time).
The matchup, which ended in a 3-3 draw in the first leg, concluded with Inter’s aggregate score of 7-6 victory. With this, Inter Milan advanced to the Champions League final.
Inter Milan employed a 3-5-2 formation. Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martínez formed the attacking duo, with Federico Dimarco, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Nicolò Barella, and Denzel Dumfries in midfield. Alessandro Bastoni, Francesco Acerbi, and Jan Aurel Bisseck constituted the three-man defense, with Jan Zommer guarding the goal.
Barcelona utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation. Ferran Torres aimed to score, with Raphinha, Dani Olmo, and Lamine Yamal positioned up front. Pedri and Frenkie de Jong filled the midfield, while Gerard Martín, Iñigo Martínez, Pau Cubarsí, and Eric Garcia formed the back four. Wojciech Szczęsny donned the goalkeeper gloves.
Early in the match, Inter Milan controlled the tempo. In the 21st minute of the first half, Lautaro Martínez calmly scored the first goal after receiving a pass from Thuram. In the 43rd minute of the first half, Çalhanoğlu converted a penalty kick awarded after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review, extending the score to 2-0.
Barcelona's counterattack was also formidable. In the 9th minute of the second half, Eric Garcia scored a stunning goal, and in the 15th minute, Dani Olmo equalized with a header, turning the tide. In the 43rd minute of the second half, Raphinha scored to achieve a 2-3 turnaround, but in stoppage time, Inter’s center-back Acerbi finished Dumfries' cross to dramatically equalize at 3-3.
The match went into extra time. In the 8th minute of the first half of extra time, Frattesi received a pass from Thuram and netted the winning goal. Barcelona launched an all-out assault with Robert Lewandowski, Fermín López, and Pau Victor but were thwarted by Jan Zommer’s saves.
Ultimately, Inter Milan triumphed over Barcelona in a high-scoring clash, 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' cup will be against the winner of the match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain.
The key player in Inter Milan's victory was goalkeeper Jan Zommer. Although Zommer conceded 3 goals during the full match, he made 7 saves, leading the team to victory.
Zommer maintained focus until the end. Despite pouring rain during the match, he did not lose his composure. Especially in the final moments of the match, he saved multiple shots from Yamal with his fingertips, providing relief to Inter fans and sighs to Barcelona supporters.
After the match, UEFA officially announced that Jan Zommer was named POTM for this game. The UEFA technical observer noted, "Zommer demonstrated instinctive saves that kept Inter Milan secure, especially blocking Yamal's decisive shots and leading the team to the final. Zommer created crucial moments at critical times," explaining the reason for his selection.
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