"It’s not about the referee's decision; we simply lost."
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 (Korean time).
The matchup between the two teams, which ended in a 3-3 draw in the first leg, concluded with Inter winning by a combined score of 7-6. As a result, Inter Milan progressed to the Champions League final.
Inter Milan lined up in a 3-5-2 formation. Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martínez formed the attacking duo, while Federico Dimarco, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Nicolò 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 adopted a 4-2-3-1 formation. Ferran Torres aimed to score, supported by Raphinha, Dani Olmo, and Lamine Yamal in the attacking midfield. Pedri and Frenkie de Jong filled the midfield roles, while Gerard Piqué, Iñigo Martínez, Pau Kiwior, and Eric García formed the back line. Wojciech Szczęsny wore the goalkeeper gloves.
In the early stages of the match, it was Inter Milan's flow. 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, Çalhanoğlu connected the penalty kick awarded after a video review (VAR), extending the score to 2-0.
Barcelona's counterattack was also formidable. In the 54th minute, Eric García scored a sensational goal to reduce the deficit, and in the 60th minute, Dani Olmo equalized with a header, shifting the momentum. In the 88th minute, Raphinha's goal completed a 3-2 turnaround, but in stoppage time, Inter's center-back Acerbi finished off a cross from Dumfries, dramatically tying the score at 3-3.
The match headed to extra time. In the 8th minute of the first half of extra time, Pratesi received a pass from Thuram and scored the decisive goal. Barcelona launched a full-scale attack with Robert Lewandowski, Fermín López, and Pau Victor, but were thwarted by Jan Sommer’s brilliant saves.
Ultimately, Inter Milan defeated Barcelona in a thrilling match, reaching 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.
Meanwhile, Barcelona manager Hans Flick expressed dissatisfaction with the referee's decisions and the match result. He noted, "It’s disappointing. Some decisions favored Inter. That's how it is in the end," and added, "The result makes no sense. The referee's decisions worked against us," shaking his head.
Additionally, midfielder Pedri, a product of Barcelona's youth academy, added, "UEFA needs to investigate the referee of this match. It’s incomprehensible," and expressed strong discontent by stating, "This is not the first time this has happened because of the referee. Decisions were made in favor of the opponent."
In light of the complaints from the coach and teammates, starting goalkeeper Szczęsny maintained neutrality, stating, "I know that when you lose, people often talk about the referee's evaluations, but I won’t comment on that part," and concluded, "There’s no need for excuses. We simply lost. The referee's decision was right."
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