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Inter Milan are one victory away from Champions League redemption after Tuesday’s chaotic, mesmerising win over Barcelona which propelled the Italians into their second final in three seasons.

Simone Inzaghi’s team had been in a fragile state in recent weeks after their treble bid went up in smoke, surrendering top spot in Serie A to Napoli and being dumped out of the Italian Cup by local rivals AC Milan.

But beating star-studded Barca, and the incredible manner in which they did it, has completely changed the atmosphere at Inter who are now bullish about their chances of being crowned kings of Europe for the fourth time.

READ ALSO: Inter Snatch Late Winner Against Barcelona In Champions League Thriller

Inter will take on either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain in Munich knowing their task will be nowhere near as difficult as it was two years ago, when they were narrowly beaten by possibly the best Manchester City team of the Pep Guardiola era.

That single-goal defeat to City in Istanbul was a bitter one for Inter who felt they were the better team on the night, bridging a monstrous financial gap with the mega-rich Premier League club with tactical nous and desire.

“We’ve been thinking about this since the day after we lost the last final,” said captain Lautaro Martinez, almost sobbing with joy after the final whistle.

“Now we’ve got to rest and finish the season well, knowing we have another opportunity to make history.”

Inter have always had the reputation of being an anarchic, crazy club, as capable of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory as they are winning major titles.

Their 7-6 triumph over Barca, which flipped one way and the next over the course of two barely believable legs, fully lived up to their nickname of “Pazza (mad) Inter”.

Martinez had been a doubt right until the eve of the match but recovered from a hamstring injury in time to both score and win a penalty which gave Inter their 2-0 half-time lead.

And Francesco Acerbi would ordinarily get a nosebleed being as far forward as he was to send the tie into extra-time with his first ever Champions League goal, at 37 years old, just as it looked like Raphinha had sealed a stunning comeback win for Barca.

 ‘Proud’ Inter

The Catalan giants could barely believe what they were seeing when super-sub Davide Frattesi guided home his extra-time winner, unused to being the team on the end of landmark defeats and frustrated at how their at times untouchable play failed to bear its expected fruit.

If anything Tuesday’s win felt like a mark of destiny for a grand old team who have had to battle desperate financial difficulties and an enforced change of ownership just as Inzaghi has made Inter one of Europe’s pre-eminent sides.

“We were up against a great team, but we’ve been raising our game for the last four or five years, every single year, and we’re so proud of that,” said Martinez.

Inzaghi risked ending the season with nothing but criticism after trying to fight on three fronts with a budget that is dwarfed by those of Europe’s other major clubs.

Inter, like the rest of cash-strapped Serie A, can no longer attract the world’s top stars so Inzaghi has had to create a team unit, a spirit that shines through on the big occasion.

Victory in Munich would be just reward for a coach who joined a club in turmoil in 2021 following the departure of both Antonio Conte and a clutch of star players, and he was close to the sack not long before Inter reached the Champions League final two years later.

Inzaghi’s ability was questioned after Inter lost a dramatic Serie A title battle with Milan in his first season and then finished 18 points behind 2023 champions Napoli.

But he has since risen to become one of football’s elite coaches and now he and Inter have the chance of a lifetime to win club football’s biggest prize.

Arsenal travel to Paris, where they only have a chance to reach their second Champions League final, with a magical touch at Parc des Princes. &nbsp,

The Gunners must deliver something spectacular against PSG in the high-stakes UEFA Champions League semi-final match against PSG, who lost 1-0 after the first leg in London. The opening goal by Ousmane Dembele sealed PSG’s crucial victory at the Emirates with a 1-0 victory. &nbsp,

After previously falling twice and drawing three times against the North London giants, PSG won their first-ever meeting against the Gunners. &nbsp,

Mikel Arteta’s men would aim to be happier in France when they return to England in 2006. In its first Champions League appearance to date, Arsenal lost to Barcelona in Paris that year. &nbsp,

READ ALSO: Arsenal Determined to “Make Statement” Against PSG In The Champions League Semi-Finals

The Premier League giants, who have never overturned a first-leg deficit in five attempts, are a herculean target. &nbsp,

Although Arsenal is not in the history books, Coach Arteta thinks his team can “do something special” in Paris and land a final meeting with Inter Milan, which they lost to in the same city 19 years ago. &nbsp,

Arsenal are in poor form going into Wednesday’s game. The last three games, which ended in defeat, have been lost. The North London side lost to Bournemouth 2-1 on Saturday after taking the lead, and they now face a risk of dropping below second in the league, a position they have maintained for two previous campaigns. &nbsp,

PSG, one of their foes, has a similar tale. The Parisians have already won another domestic title before the defeats, despite the French champions having lost their previous two league games. In the Ligue 1 defeat at home to Strasbourg over the weekend, Coach Luis Enrique fielded a second-string team. &nbsp,

Enrique wants an even better performance for PSG than they did with the first leg victory in London despite having an advantage in the first leg. He is aware of the quality of opposition that the Gunners bring. &nbsp,

Because our opponents don’t produce a favorable outcome, we are bound to suffer. To win the return leg and maintain our ideas, we must match our performance in the first leg as closely as possible, he said prior to the game. &nbsp,

LWLDWL (most recent first) PSG Form Guide

LLDWWD (former first, most recent)

Head-to-Head&nbsp: PSG vs. Arsenal

&nbsp, the two clubs’ final six meetings:

PSG wins: 1&nbsp,

Arsenal wins: 2;
• Draws: 3

PSG Team News

Due to a hamstring issue, Dembele was unable to play in London. Enrique confirmed that he is healthy and ready, which is a significant improvement for PSG, who are expected to keep the same lineup as they did in the first leg. &nbsp,

Arsenal Team News

In addition to long-term absentees, Arsenal has suffered significant injury setbacks this season, in contrast to PSG. Important midfielder Thomas Partey was unavailable last week against the French giants. Partey, who was sidelined for the first game, returns on Wednesday and is expected to play a significant role in Arsenal’s history-making endeavors. Jurrien Timber, the defending champion, is expected to play, despite missing Saturday’s defeat to Bournemouth. Riccardo Calafiori, an Italian, should be able to be chosen for the team. &nbsp,

PSG vs. Arsenal: Kickoff Time, Location, and Date

Paris’ Parc des Princes is where it’s located.

Kickoff time: 8: 00 pm (WAT/Nigeria time).

Second leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final. &nbsp,

Will PSG seal the deal or will Arsenal rewrite history? &nbsp,

With an extra-time winner, Davis Frattesi led Inter Milan to a stunning 4-3 victory over Barcelona (7-6 overall) in the Champions League final on Tuesday.

When Frattesi lashed home in the 99th minute to make a packed and cheering San Siro shiver in celebration of the downpour, it was tied for the ages.

At the end of this month in Munich, Simone Inzaghi’s team will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal, with the feeling that they have a fantastic chance to become the kings of Europe for the fourth time.

READ ALSO: Arsenal Determined to “Make Statement” Against PSG In The Champions League Semi-Finals

After defeating Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals on Tuesday, Inter’s season was saved as their bid for the treble waned.

After beating Bayern, Inter lost their top spot in Serie A, while AC Milan had to pull them out of the Italian Cup a fortnight ago, leaving Napoli as the favorite to win the domestic league title.

However, Inter put an end to Barca’s quest for the quadruple and are now looking forward to a second Champions League final in three years with renewed optimism heading into the final weeks of the campaign.

Frattesi scored his seventh goal of the year, which was probably his most significant of his career, despite the fact that Inter should have already been eliminated.

When Raphinha came back from two goals down at half-time to give Barca a 3-2 lead, the hosts were going out with two minutes left in regular time.

However, Francesco Acerbi stunned everyone in the stadium when he headed Denzel Dumfries’ cross in the added time penalty in the second minute, not the least of the already celebrating Barca supporters.

After going in at break-time thanks to a brilliant goal from Lautaro Martinez and Hakan Calhanoglu’s penalty in first-half stoppage time, Barca had been by far the better team in the second half of normal time.

In the 54th and 60th minutes, Eric Garcia and Dani Olmo scored both exquisite Gerard Martin deliveries, and Yann Sommer had to do everything in his power to keep Inter at a touching distance.

Between Barca’s first two goals, Sommer probably saved the best save of the season by preventing Eric Garcia from completing a frantic Barca counter-attack.

And the Swiss was crucial once more in the 113th minute when he was saved by Lamine Yamal, who hit the post just before Acerbi’s equalizer.

Inter then held off Barca as the home fans waited until the match’s final whistle roared out loud.

Arsenal’s Declan Rice insisted Tuesday the Gunners are confident they can “deliver something special” by overturning a 1-0 first-leg deficit when they face Paris Saint-Germain in the French capital in the return match of their Champions League semi-final tie.

“We’re here to win the game. We’re here to make a statement. We want to get to the final. So we need to be ready to go and do that,” Rice told reporters at the Parc des Princes on the eve of Wednesday’s showdown.

“We need to have big balls and we need to go out there on the biggest stage and show that we’re ready to play at this level.

“It’s going to be the biggest night in this club’s history if we can get to the final. So we’re fully ready to go.”

PSG hold the advantage coming into Wednesday’s match after Ousmane Dembele’s early goal gave them a narrow victory at the Emirates Stadium a week ago.

However, both Rice and Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta said they believed they could get the better of a side who have eliminated Premier League opposition in each of the last two rounds, knocking out Liverpool in the last 16 and Aston Villa in the quarter-finals.

“I think you need to have full belief,” Rice said.

“We certainly have that as a group. I think if we are the best versions of ourselves tomorrow night -– and we know we can be that –- there is no stopping us getting into that final.”

The England star said Arsenal could lean on the experience of facing reigning European champions Real Madrid in Spain in the last round, when Arteta’s team won 2-1 to progress 5-1 on aggregate.

“When we went to the Bernabeu the other week there were a lot of questions about whether we could rise to that occasion,” said Rice, who scored two wonderful free-kicks in the first leg of that tie.

“We obviously had a 3-0 lead but there was still so much talk about them coming back and playing at the Bernabeu and we had not experienced that before.

“But I think as a group we handled that amazingly well. We have proved that we can handle big situations and tomorrow night is another massive step for this team.”

READ ALSO: Raphinha’s Rise Key To Barca’s Devastating Champions League Run

Eyeing first final since 2006 

Arsenal have to win on the night if they are to make it to Munich later this month for the Champions League final for the second time in the club’s history.

That means someone will need to step up and make themselves a hero, just as Rice did against Madrid in the last round.

“In that game against Real Madrid, obviously I was able to produce two free-kicks which were incredible, but tomorrow night is set up for someone else to maybe get that magic moment.

“Hopefully we can deliver something special.”

Arteta, who used to play for PSG, said his side did not deserve to lose in the first leg and called on them to rise to the occasion once again by securing the Gunners’ first appearance in the final of Europe’s elite club competition since 2006.

“We are a win away from being in the Champions League final, in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, against a great opponent. It doesn’t get much better than that,” he said.

“We are here to make history.”

Arteta said Dutch defender Jurrien Timber’s fitness would be assessed on Tuesday evening before a decision would be taken on whether he could feature.

However, Riccardo Calafiori travelled with the squad to Paris and is fit — the Italian has not played since the last 16, second leg against PSV Eindhoven on March 12.

Earlier, PSG coach Luis Enrique declared first-leg match-winner Dembele fit to play despite coming off with a hamstring issue in London last week.