FC Barcelona is set to host Inter Milan this Wednesday for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal tie. This match comes shortly after Hansi Flick`s Barcelona secured their second trophy of the 2024-25 campaign, triumphing 3-2 over Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final. The Catalan giants are still in contention for a potential treble under the German coach, currently leading La Liga by four points over Real Madrid and holding a spot among the top four teams in Europe`s premier club competition.
Inter Milan, conversely, is navigating a challenging period, having lost three consecutive matches for the first time under manager Simone Inzaghi. These defeats include Serie A losses to Bologna and AS Roma, as well as an exit from the Coppa Italia semifinals at the hands of rivals AC Milan. The Nerazzurri now trail Antonio Conte`s Napoli by three points in the Serie A standings with four games remaining, facing a strong possibility of ending the season without silverware.
Recent events added a wrinkle to travel preparations when Spain experienced a significant power outage on Monday, affecting cities including Madrid and Barcelona. This blackout caused disruptions, including issues at airports and general transportation. As Inter was scheduled to fly to Spain on Tuesday, the situation brought back memories of the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption in Iceland, which caused widespread air travel disruption across Europe. In that instance, Pep Guardiola`s Barcelona squad was unable to fly to Milan for their first leg and had to undertake a roughly 1,000-kilometer, two-day bus journey, including an overnight stop in Cannes, France.
Match Details & Odds
- Date: Wednesday, April 30
- Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys – Barcelona, Spain
- Odds: FC Barcelona -165; Draw +300; Inter +425
Last Encounter
These teams last met during the 2022-23 group stage, the same season Inter reached the Champions League final in Istanbul before losing to Manchester City. In that group stage, Hakan Çalhanoğlu secured a late first-half winner for Inter in their 1-0 victory at San Siro on Matchday 3. The return fixture at Camp Nou was a thrilling six-goal affair. Ousmane Dembélé opened the scoring for Barça, but Nicolo Barella and Lautaro Martinez put Inter ahead. Robert Lewandowski equalized for Barcelona with eight minutes left, before Robin Gosens seemingly won it for Inter in the 89th minute. However, Lewandowski struck again two minutes into added time to salvage a 3-3 draw. That draw marked the first time Inter avoided defeat at Barcelona on their sixth visit, and these were their only goals in their last five trips to Barcelona. Notably, Barcelona and Inter also famously clashed in the 2010 Champions League semifinals.
Path to the Semifinals
Barcelona had a strong league phase performance, finishing second in their group with 19 points from eight matches (six wins, one draw against Atalanta on the final matchday, and one loss). Before eliminating Borussia Dortmund in the quarterfinals, FC Barcelona had overcome Benfica with a 4-1 aggregate score in the previous round. Inter also navigated a successful league phase, securing fourth place with six wins, one draw, and a single defeat away to Bayer Leverkusen. Inter progressed by beating Feyenoord in the round of 16 and then knocked out German powerhouse Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals after a 4-3 aggregate victory.
Predicted Lineups
FC Barcelona XI: Wojciech Szczesny, Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo, Pau Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez, Pedri, Gavi, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Raphinha, Ferran Torres.
Inter XI: Yann Sommer; Yann Bisseck, Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Bastoni; Denzel Dumfries, Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu, Henrix Mkhitaryan, Federico Dimarco; Lautaro Martinez, Marko Arnautovic.
Player to Watch
Raphinha, FC Barcelona – The Brazilian winger has been in exceptional form this season, contributing significantly with 30 goals across 50 appearances in all competitions. He has emerged as a key player for Barcelona under Flick. Should he play a crucial role in winning the Champions League, and potentially the treble, he could position himself as a strong contender for the Ballon d`Or later this year.
Key Storyline
Injury Concerns for Both Sides – Both teams are grappling with significant injuries impacting their squads. Barcelona will be without Alejandro Balde and, importantly, former Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski, who is expected to return for the second leg in Milan next week. Inter, on the other hand, welcomes back Denzel Dumfries and Piotr Zielinski. Marcus Thuram trained with the group on Tuesday and will travel with the squad, but his place in the starting lineup remains uncertain. French defender Benjamin Pavard is unavailable for Wednesday`s match after sustaining an injury during Sunday`s 1-0 home defeat against AS Roma.
Prediction
Inter is currently going through a difficult phase, which could provide an advantage for FC Barcelona. However, it will not be an easy task for Flick`s side, especially with the return leg in Milan looming next week as they vie for a spot in the final. Predicted Score: Barcelona 2, Inter 1.
Dominic Ashworth