And breathe…
That was one of the best Champions League matches ever and, in truth, I’m disappointed it’s over.
Inter can perhaps be the happier team given Barcelona was playing at home, but this tie is perfectly poised ahead of the second leg next week.
Some incredible goals, dramatic moments and flashes of brilliance from some of the best players in world soccer.
The players look exhausted as the referee blows for full-time.
Full-time score: Barcelona 3-3 Inter Milan
Lamine Yamal just came within inches of giving Barcelona its first lead of the night.
It looked like the teenager was trying to cross the ball and everyone stood and watched it in what felt like slow-motion until it crashed off the crossbar.
That’s the second time Yamal has hit the woodwork tonight.
Score: Barcelona 3-3 Inter Milan
Lamine Yamal plays the Beautiful Game like he’s having a kickaround with his friends at the park.
The 17-year-old has been absolutely sensational tonight, and he’s just pulled off a ‘Marseille turn’ after a drop of the shoulder to bamboozle two Inter defenders.
With just under five minutes of regular time still to play, this game could go either way.
Yamal’s presence in this kind of form can mean a goal at any moment, but Barça is still looking very susceptible to Inter’s counterattacks.
Score: Barcelona 3-3 Inter
As we enter the last few minutes of this amazing contest, a penny for the home fans’ thoughts.
Barcelona supporters will feel their team is long overdue a Champions League title. The Catalan giant hasn’t been crowned king of Europe in a decade.
The club’s great rival, Real Madrid, has won it five times during that 10-year stretch – including a historic three-peat from 2016-2018.
Barça will surely be inspired by its women’s team which is looking for a third straight title in this year’s Women’s Champions League.
All these players will have a story about how they’ve reached this huge Champions League semifinal, but perhaps none will have a tale more surprising than Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny.
The 35-year-old had retired after the end of last season, seemingly playing his last game in professional soccer for Juventus.
But when Barcelona had a goalkeeping crisis at the start of this season, the call went out and Szczęsny couldn’t resist.
He signed with the club in October and has helped it reach the the final four in this tournament, as well as making key saves to win the Copa del Rey and keep the team at the top of Spain’s La Liga.
Big night in store for the man between the sticks.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan thought he had put Inter Milan back in front, but the goal has been ruled out for offside.
It was an amazing passage of play with Mkhitaryan blasting his shot into the roof of the net, but the winger was fractionally in an offside position – a matter of mere inches.
Chaos reigns once again in this semifinal unlike any other.
Score: Barcelona 3-3 Inter Milan
A strike of that brilliance deserves better, but that’s an own goal!
Amazing dummy from Lamine Yamal in the build-up there.
Barcelona has drawn level once again – Inter’s lead this time lasted less than two minutes!
It’s a move straight off the training ground, as Lamine Yamal dummies Dani Olmo’s low driven corner and Raphinha runs onto the ball and hits a stunning strike from 30 yards out.
Unfortunately for Yann Sommer that will go down as his own goal. Raphinha’s effort struck the crossbar and then hit the Inter goalkeeper on the back before going over the line.
Score: Barcelona 3-3 Inter Milan
Just as things were looking to settle down, Inter Milan takes the lead through Denzel Dumfries’ second goal of the game.
It was nothing special, just a classic, old fashioned corner that was floated into the box.
Dumfries wanted it more, though, and leaped high to bundle the ball into the back of the net.
Score: Barcelona 2-3 Inter Milan
The intensity has slightly dropped in the second half with both teams taking a bit of time to settle back into the match.
In truth, Inter Milan might be happy to hold on for a draw given the wave of momentum behind Barcelona at the end of that first 45 minutes. The visitors are looking to quieten down the crowd with some possession.
Lamine Yamal hasn’t been as impactful for Barça yet, but it will only take a second for this semifinal to catch fire again.
Score: Barcelona 2-2 Inter Milan
Inter Milan almost repeated its heroics from the first-half by scoring another early goal.
Barcelona’s defense was once again split wide open and Federico Dimarco was left unmarked at the back post.
The Inter man, though, couldn’t keep his shot down and blazed it over the bar from close range. A big chance wasted.
It’s bad news for Inter Milan because its captain and biggest goalscoring threat Lautaro Martínez doesn’t come out for the second half.
The striker looked to suffer an injury in the closing minutes of that first half but managed to get to the break.
Whatever it was though could not be fixed during half-time, so he is replaced by Mehdi Taremi.
Martínez can be seen on the Inter bench.
It was exhausting enough just watching those first 45 minutes, so the players must be out on their feet.
They’ve now had 15 minutes to catch their breath, and if the second half is even half as entertaining as the first then we’ll be in for another treat.
Score: Barcelona 2-2 Inter Milan
Are you not entertained?!
The most sensational first half with standout goals we’ll all likely remember for a very long time. Both these teams finished on 19 points in the new-look Champions League table and, as of right now, there’s nothing to separate them once again.
What. A. Game.
It’s hard to sum up exactly what happened in that first 45 minutes, but maybe the stats could help.
Barcelona, playing at home, enjoyed far more possession with 66%. It also had 10 attempts compared to Inter’s three and was by far the more attacking team.
But the Italian side made the most of the slim pickings it had, scoring with both the shots it had on target.
As they say, though, the only stat that matters is the amount of goals you put into the back of the net.
The second half is just moments away.
My head is spinning, so I can’t imagine what these players are feeling like.
It’s been nonstop drama from literally the opening minute and the chances were coming thick and fast.
Inter Milan couldn’t have dreamed of a better start after going 2-0 up, but Lamine Yamal’s wondergoal and overall performance dragged his team back into it.
If this stadium had a roof, it would have been lifted off by that Ferrán Torres equalizer.
The half-time whistle probably came at the perfect time for Inter, though. The visitor needs to calm down and re-group ahead of what promises to be a special second half.
There was also a major blow for the Italian side with Lautaro Martínez appearing to suffer an injury. The captain didn’t look happy after pulling up and might not come out onto the pitch in the second half.
Barça was also forced into making a change before the break, with Jules Koundé replaced by Eric García because of an injury.
A lot happened in that 45 minutes, but the big debate is which goal from that amazing first half was the best?
We are being treated to an absolute thriller!
Ferrán Torres has just scored to drag Barcelona level in the 38th minute. The former Manchester City striker had missed a couple of big opportunities but kept his cool this time.
Pedri’s cross into the box was headed down by Raphinha for Torres to poke the ball past Yann Sommer.
Score: Barcelona 2-2 Inter Milan
Well, so much for Barcelona reeling – it’s a goal for the ages.
They were in total shock just moments ago, but now the Blaugrana have real hope.
If Lamine Yamal was hurt in the warmup, it certainly isn’t showing. A goal of a lifetime from the teenager!
Wow. Lamine Yamal pulls a goal back for Barcelona with a wonderful strike in the 24th minute!
The 17-year-old picks up the ball on the right-hand side of the pitch, dips and weaves past two Inter defenders before bending an inch-perfect shot into the far corner.
YAMAL WHAT?! 🤯
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 30, 2025
We have been treated to three spectacular goals already in this game and there have been barely 25 minutes played!
We could have the Goal of the Tournament competition from this game alone.
Score: Barcelona 1-2 Inter Milan
Barcelona are in total shock right now.
As a team, they ooze class and talent but there’s no question they’re missing the experience and know-how in front of goal of prolific goal machine Robert Lewandowski.
The prolific Pole – who’s scored 11 times already in this season’s competition – is out as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury.
