Inter Milan knock out Barcelona to achieve Champions League closing after Frattesi’s late strike and Sommer’s saves

Inter Milan substitute Davide Frattesi struck an extra-time winner to ship his facet into the Champions League closing following a sensational 4-3 victory over Barcelona on Tuesday after Francesco Acerbi had rescued them from the brink of elimination with a shocking equaliser deep in added time.

Frattesi’s aim and a string of very good saves by goalkeeper Yann Sommer secured Inter a rip-roaring 7-6 combination victory in a semi-final for the ages.

The Italian facet will face both Paris St Germain or Arsenal within the Munich closing later this month, with the French staff taking a 1-0 lead into Wednesday’s semi-final second leg.

Inter script memorable comeback

Following a wide ranging first leg in Barcelona that had all the pieces from early drama, late chaos, and dazzling moments from 17-year-old Lamine Yamal, the return encounter in Milan was much more dramatic, a rollercoaster journey that may reside lengthy within the reminiscence.

It was a story of two halves as Inter dominated the primary 45 minutes and opened a two-goal lead due to a Lautaro Martinez aim on the counter within the twenty first minute earlier than Hakan Calhanoglu prolonged their benefit with a penalty proper earlier than the break.

The penalty was awarded after the VAR noticed a foul by Pau Cubarsi on Martinez within the field that had seemed like a well-timed problem on first viewing.

Nonetheless, Barca awoke within the second half with Eric Garcia and Dani Olmo netting inside six minutes to degree the scoring and, although Sommer labored his magic to assist preserve the hosts alive, the Catalans thought that they had scored the winner by Raphinha, who struck from shut vary within the 87th minute.

However as Inter made a determined run for an equaliser, Denzel Dumfries discovered 37-year-old Acerbi contained in the field and he fired a first-time effort into the online to attain his first European aim in his twentieth season and take the sport to additional time.

Eric García // Frattesi // Acerbi // Olmo ⚽

Unbelievable drama and unbelievable objectives 👏@Heineken | #UCLGOTD pic.twitter.com/CBguF9Q7DQ

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) Might 6, 2025

Within the 99th minute, Marcus Thuram made a superb run from the proper and performed the ball into the realm for Frattesi, who set himself earlier than neatly guiding a curling shot into the underside nook to ship the delighted residence followers into raptures.

‘The unbelievable occurred’

Sommer made two world-class saves from Yamal, who additionally hit the submit with one other beautiful strike deep in added time, as Inter moved a step nearer to their fourth Champions League title and their first in 15 years after shedding to Manchester Metropolis within the closing two years in the past.

“I’m fortunate to have completed the sport, I screamed a lot that I noticed all the pieces black,” Frattesi, who additionally got here off the bench to attain the winner within the first leg of their quarter-final at Bayern Munich, informed Sky Sport.

“I’ve to thank the physiotherapists as a result of in latest days I used to be not properly, I dedicate the victory to them. It’s unbelievable, I don’t know what to say. Tonight the unbelievable occurred.”

Barca had been chasing a treble after profitable the Copa del Rey, however will now flip their focus to LaLiga, the place they prime the desk and on Sunday host rivals Actual Madrid, who path them by 4 factors with 4 video games to go.

The five-time winners had been hoping to achieve their first Champions League closing in a decade, however had been left licking their wounds forward of Sunday’s conflict.

Yann Sommer masterclass ⛔👏@QatarAirways | #LetsFly pic.twitter.com/Dk7aKhSl0p

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) Might 6, 2025

Unbeaten domestically since late December, Barcelona will attempt to seize a fourth consecutive victory over Actual this season.

“Soccer has been very merciless to us,” Barca defender Eric Garcia informed Movistar Plus. “We had been down 2-0 once more and the character this staff confirmed was outstanding.

“We’re a staff stuffed with younger gamers and this has been a fantastic yr. We nonetheless have the (Spanish) league to play for.”

With company inputs