Inter Milan staged a dramatic late comeback to defeat Barcelona 7-6 on aggregate in a thrilling Champions League semi-final, which will go down as an all-time classic.
With just two minutes of added time remaining, Inter trailed 3-2 on the night and were on the verge of elimination when centre-back Francesco Acerbi scored by smashing a cross into the roof of the net, leveling the tie. The 37-year-old celebrated wildly, running around with his shirt off.
The excitement escalated when substitute Davide Frattesi secured the victory for the Italian champions, curling a beautiful left-footed shot into the bottom corner during the first period of extra time. He then climbed a security fence to celebrate in front of Inter’s fans.
This victory marks Inter’s second Champions League final in three seasons, following a two-legged showdown filled with incredible drama that produced 13 goals and multiple lead changes.
Barcelona were just two minutes away from reaching their first final in ten years. They had staged a comeback from 2-0 down, similar to their first-leg performance, to take a 3-2 lead on the night.
Lamine Yamal almost forced the game to penalties, but he was denied twice by outstanding saves from Yann Sommer as Inter held on to reach the final, sparking scenes of jubilation.
Inter, who lost 1-0 to Manchester City in the 2023 final, will face either Paris St-Germain or Arsenal at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena in the showpiece event on Saturday, May 31, 2025. The Gunners will head into the second leg in France on Wednesday, needing to overcome a 1-0 deficit following their defeat at Emirates Stadium.
