Category News

“It gave us everything. From start to finish last week to this week, everything about this semi-final has been pure entertainment,” said Alan Shearer.

For the second time in six days Inter Milan and Barcelona served up a European classic as the champions of Italy won 4-3 on the night – 7-6 on aggregate – to reach the Champions League final.

In a thriller that will be remembered for years to come, Barca had trailed 2-0 and 3-2 in the first leg in Catalonia before salvaging a 3-3 draw.

On Tuesday in Milan, they were then 2-0 behind at half-time – 5-3 on aggregate – before scoring three times without reply.

Raphinha’s 87th-minute strike was the first time Barca had taken the lead on aggregate but Francesco Acerbi’s first European goal at the age of 37 took an utterly absorbing tie into extra time, with substitute Davide Frattesi scoring the winner to send more than 70,000 Inter fans inside the San Siro into raptures.

It was the joint highest-scoring Champions League semi-final ever, with the 13 goals equalling the 2018 semi-final when Liverpool also defeated Roma 7-6 on aggregate.

“We didn’t expect this, did we?” added former England captain Shearer, who was inside the San Siro for Amazon Prime.

“We expected a good game, but this? Thank you Inter Milan, thank you Barcelona for providing us with incredible entertainment and two great football matches.

“What we have witnessed has been something very special. It’s been a pleasure to be here.”

Inter will face either Paris St-Germain or Arsenal – who meet in the other semi-final in France on Wednesday (20:00 BST) – after one of the great modern classics.

No neutrals wanted this tie full of twists and turns to end but, when Polish referee Szymon Marciniak sounded the final whistle at 23:38 local time, Inter Milan’s players sank to their knees exhausted but triumphant.

They remained on the pitch for a good 15 to 20 minutes after full-time to show their appreciation to their delirious fans, who can start booking flights and hotels for the final in Munich on 31 May.

“Inter were heading out, they were done,” added Shearer.

“They somehow found a way to get themselves into the final. They deserve to be there.”

Inter’s success in this season’s competition has been built on dogged resilience and clean sheets.

Not against Barcelona.

They conceded more goals against the La Liga leaders over 210 minutes than they had in their opening 12 matches in this season’s Champions League put together.

The three-time winners had kept eight clean sheets in all, with Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer recording seven of those.

On Tuesday alone, Barcelona peppered Inter’s goal with 22 attempts – 10 on target – and scored three times in the space of 33 minutes.

But Inter dug deep to go through with substitute Davide Frattesi scoring his side’s extra-time winner.

It is 15 years since Inter – managed by Jose Mourinho at the time – were crowned champions of Europe. No Italian side has won the Champions League since that victory over Bayern Munich in 2010.

Will that change at the end of the month?

While they weren’t necessarily the obvious choice to win this year’s competition, before a ball was kicked Opta did rate them as third favourites to go all the way behind Real Madrid and Manchester City. With both of those teams already out, Inter are now in the box seat.

And they went back in time to reach their second final in three seasons.

The 2023 runners-up to Manchester City are unbeaten in 16 home games in the Champions League – their longest undefeated run on their own turf in Europe since the 1980s.

“It was an amazing night,” said Inter boss Simone Inzaghi. “One to share with our fans, our club and our families. The players did something extraordinary.

“We played four amazing games against two world-class teams like Bayern [in the quarter-final] and Barcelona. It was great to celebrate this achievement here with our fans.”

Inter’s Netherlands defender Denzel Dumfries ended with two goals and three assists over the two legs against Barcelona.

“A crazy match again! Seven goals today… it was incredible,” said Dumfries.

Italy midfielder Frattesi added: “After the game in Munich, I thought I would never experience anything like this again in terms of emotions.

Watch highlights of every Champions League game from 22:00 on Wednesday on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

In what is already being talked about as one of the greatest Champions League semi-finals of all time, Inter Milan edged past Barcelona 7-6 on aggregate to reach the final in Munich.

As one BBC Sport reader messaged to say: “Football needed that tie.”

Inter Milan produced a dramatic late turnaround to beat Barcelona 7-6 on aggregate in a thrilling, all-time classic of a Champions League semi-final.

With just two minutes of stoppage time left, Inter trailed 3-2 on the night and were heading out when 37-year-old centre-back Francesco Acerbi smashed a cross into the roof of the net to level the tie.

And substitute Davide Frattesi won it for the Italian champions, curling a beautiful left-footed shot into the bottom corner in the first period of extra time.

A thrilling first leg at Etihad Stadium saw Pep Guardiola overcome his old rivals on his most recent pursuit of Champions League glory. His side battled with Real Madrid to take a 4-3 lead into the second leg.

In a game which was not short of chances, Riyad Mahrez extended City’s advantage at the Bernabeu to leave Carlo Ancelotti’s men needing two goals just to take the tie to extra time.

Substitute Rodrygo kick-started an incredible turnaround, putting two efforts past Ederson in as many minutes right at the end of normal time.

Finalists the previous year, Jurgen Klopp’s side looked as though they were heading out after a goal from Luis Suarez and a Lionel Messi double – including a dream free-kick – condemned them to a 3-0 first-leg loss at the Nou Camp.

Liverpool needed a second-leg miracle. Usual starters Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino were missing – but up stepped Divock Origi.

The striker pulled one back in the first 10 minutes and, as belief rose inside a fervent Anfield, midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum popped up with two goals in two minutes to level the tie.

Ajax had been the breakout side of 2018-19, beating Real Madrid and Juventus to set up a tie with Tottenham. So it was perhaps no surprise when they left London with a 1-0 lead.

In Amsterdam things went from bad to worse for Tottenham. With no Harry Kane up front, they were facing a mountain to climb when Matthijs de Ligt and Hakim Ziyech made it 3-0 on aggregate before half-time.

This was the first year Jurgen Klopp came to the attention of many in the UK, with Borussia Dortmund scoring twice in added time to beat Malaga in the previous round. Still, they weren’t fancied to pull up too many trees against Real Madrid, but produced a remarkable first-leg display at the Westfalenstadion.

Robert Lewandowski – who would leave a year later for free – scored four times as Real were routed 4-1. The Polish forward was too mobile for Pepe and Sergio Ramos, scoring a second-half treble in front of the yellow wall.

The first leg at Stamford Bridge saw Barcelona come close, but it was Chelsea, through Didier Drogba, who edged ahead 1-0.

Back to the Nou Camp and it was the anchorman Sergio Busquets who popped up with a tap-in to level the aggregate scores. It was one-way traffic and soon Chelsea were seriously up against it when captain John Terry saw red for a knee in the back of Alexis Sanchez.

Lionel Messi then teed up Andres Iniesta to make it 2-1 on aggregate and Chelsea needed a goal. Ramires was the unlikely man to find it, a superb finish to chip Victor Valdes – all before half-time.

Chelsea came up against their previous semi-final rivals Liverpool, who knocked them out in the last four in both 2004-05 and 2006-07.

In a cagey first leg, Liverpool had a one-goal lead thanks to a close-range shot from Dirk Kuyt. However, Chelsea were offered a lifeline in the dying minutes as John Arne Riise nodded a clearing header into his own net.

At Stamford Bridge, Didier Drogba gave the Blues the lead in the opening half but opposing forward Fernando Torres levelled after the break.

Extra time was needed and Frank Lampard converted a penalty to put Chelsea 3-2 ahead on aggregate before Drogba stepped up again to score his second of the night.

A fantastic start to the tie for Manchester United saw Cristiano Ronaldo put them ahead in the first 10 minutes.

But then Kaka entered the scene. The 2007 Ballon d’Or winner collected a pass and glided past United with ease before planting a fine low shot into the far corner.

It was a Kaka masterclass and the Brazilian added a beautiful solo goal with his flair too much for United defenders Gabriel Heinze and Patrice Evra.

Wayne Rooney did get a leveller and then powered in a superb shot from long range in stoppage time to give United a slender 3-2 lead at the halfway stage of the tie.

At the San Siro, it was Kaka once again who proved the difference and his delicious left-footed drive put Milan back ahead on away goals early on.

The first leg was in Madrid and Ronaldo opened the scoring with a superb finish from the edge of the area.

Juventus grabbed an away goal on the stroke of half-time when David Trezeguet stabbed in a deflected shot from Alessandro del Piero.

Real were back in front when Roberto Carlos’ piledriver went through a sea of players and it was on to Turin.

Trezeguet spurred Juve’s second-leg comeback as his close-range effort put the home side ahead on away goals.

Real needed a goal, on came Ronaldo, and he won a penalty with a trademark body swerve. Up stepped Luis Figo, but Gianluigi Buffon saved his spot-kick.

The 1999 Treble win for Manchester United is etched into the public consciousness, even if the final against Bayern Munich was largely quite dull – until the incredible finale.

The two-legged semi-final against Juventus was dramatic from start to finish. The first leg at Old Trafford saw future Chelsea boss Antonio Conte strike the Italian giants into an early lead before a second-half United siege finally bore fruit when Ryan Giggs hammered into the roof of the net in the last minute.

With the tie all square at 1-1, Juve were favourites in the second leg, even more so when Filippo Inzaghi scored twice in the first 11 minutes. Game over? Nobody told Roy Keane. His header gave United hope and he led by example throughout, despite picking up a yellow card that would rule him out of the final.

Dwight Yorke headed United level on the night – and ahead on away goals – before half-time in this classic encounter.

Watch highlights of every Champions League game from 22:00 on Wednesday on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.