That Inter Milan vs. Barcelona clash on May 6, 2025, was an absolute rollercoaster, a 4-3 thriller in the UEFA Champions League semifinal second leg at the San Siro that’ll be talked about for years.
Inter secured a 7-6 aggregate victory to book their spot in the final, but the path to that triumph was pure chaos, packed with momentum swings, individual brilliance, and heart-stopping moments.
Inter came out firing, taking a 2-0 lead within the first half. Lautaro Martínez opened the scoring with a clinical finish, capitalizing on a defensive lapse from Barça, and Hakan Çalhanoğlu doubled the advantage from the penalty spot after a controversial call that had Barcelona fans fuming.
The San Siro was electric, sensing a rout. But Barcelona, trailing 3-2 from the first leg, weren’t about to roll over. Eric Garcia pulled one back just before the break with a curling strike that silenced the crowd, and Dani Olmo leveled the score early in the second half, exploiting some shaky defending to make it 2-2. The tie was now on a knife’s edge.
Barça’s resurgence didn’t stop there. Raphinha put them ahead 3-2 in the 87th minute with a fine finish that seemed to flip the script entirely, giving Barcelona a 6-5 lead on aggregate.
The Blaugrana faithful were dreaming of a comeback for the ages, driven by the dazzling footwork of 17-year-old Lamine Yamal, who tormented Inter’s defense all night with his pace and trickery.
But Inter refused to buckle. In the dying seconds of stoppage time, Francesco Acerbi rose highest to nod in a corner, sparking pandemonium and forcing extra time with the aggregate score tied at 6-6.
Extra time was where Inter’s resilience shone. Davide Frattesi, the hometown hero, became the unlikely savior, pouncing on a loose ball in the 112th minute to fire home the winner. The San Siro erupted as Inter reclaimed the lead, 4-3 (7-6 on aggregate).
Barcelona threw everything forward, but Inter’s goalkeeper Yann Sommer stood tall, pulling off a string of unreal saves—none bigger than his point-blank stop against Yamal in the final moments, preserving Inter’s lead.
Inter, who fell 1-0 to Manchester City in the 2023 final, will now face either Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena on Saturday, 31 May, in the 2025 final.
Tactically, Inter’s high press disrupted Barça early, but Hansi Flick’s men showed their quality in transition, with Yamal and Olmo stretching the pitch. Inter’s veterans, though, had the last word, with Çalhanoğlu’s composure and Acerbi’s grit proving decisive.
For Barça, it was a gut-wrenching exit despite their attacking flair, with Yamal’s performance a silver lining for their future. Inter, meanwhile, march on, one step from Champions League glory for first time in 2010.
