Greetings and a very warm welcome to everyone. We will bring you the build-up and subsequent live updates from the big-ticket second leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final between Inter Milan and Barcelona, so watch this space.
Greetings and a very warm welcome to everyone. We will bring you the build-up and subsequent live updates from the big-ticket second leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final between Inter Milan and Barcelona, so watch this space.
Lamine Yamal is starting for the visitors, while the experiences Robert Lewandowski is on the bench. Here's how the two teams line up ahead of the semi-final second-leg clash at the San Siro:
The match will begin at 12:30am IST. The last-four clash between continental giants Inter Milan and FC Barcelona will be live streamed on the SonyLiv app and website in India. It will be telecast on the Sony Sports Network in the country.
Inter Milan and Barcelona have played against each other 13 times in the UEFA Champions League and Barca have the definite edge over Inter, having won six of those matches. Inter have only won two games, whereas five ended in a draw. Check out more key stats in our report HERE.
The much-awaited European football clash kicks off at the San Siro. Inter attacking from right to left and Barca from left to right in the first half. Let's see who gets their noses ahead early.
Lautaro Martinez puts the hosts ahead! The Inter Milan captain latches on to Denzel Dumfries' neat assist and Barcelona custodian Wojciech Szczesny is caught off-guard, well off his line. The Nerazzurri take the lead in the 21st minute and have a one-goal advantage on aggregate (4-3) now.
Inter have another at the stroke of half-time. Lautaro Martinez is brought down in the Barca penalty box by Pau Cubarsi. It seems to be a very good challenge at first, but replays show that Martinez got the first touch on the ball, and upon a VAR check, the hosts are awarded a penalty. Hakan Calhanoglu steps up to the spot and sends Szczesny the wrong way, slotting home in the bottom right corner. The Nerazzurri have a two-goal cushion, going into half-time.
Off we go again. Barcelona kicking from right to left, and Inter from left to right in the second half. The visitors would be desperate for an early goal after the interval, if they are to mount a challenge tonight to somehow win the tie.
They needed an early goal, and Barcelona have one! And it's a screamer at that. Eric Garcia responds to Gerard Martin's cross beautifully with a fantastic volley that zooms into the top right corner of the Inter goal. The Blaugrana pull one back and bounce right back into the tie.
We are back on level terms! Just like they did in the first leg, Barcelona have erased a two-goal deficit in the second leg as well. After Garcia's stunning volley earlier, it's Dani Olmo who joins the party who heads in Gerard Martin's ball brilliantly. Barca have scored twice in six second-half minutes and we have a cracker on our hands now.
Young Lamine Yamal is brought down just outside the Milan box by Henrikh Mkhitaryan and the referee deems it in, and awards a penalty. VAR check confirms that contact was made just outside and Barca get a free kick instead at the edge of the box. Yamal tries to direct a shot on goal but it's blocked by a Barcelona player inadvertently.
The turnaround grows more remarkable. Barcelona have found a third goal in the second half to edge ahead, minutes before full time. Raphinha's initial shot on the Inter goal is blocked by goalie Yann Sommer, but the rebound falls kindly to the Brazilian who slots it in, this time near the far post. Have Barca done it?
What drama! The 37-year-old Francesco Acerbi has pulled Inter back into the game with an equaliser in stoppage time. We are now headed towards 30 minutes of extra time. We've had a game befitting the stage and teams, and there's more to come still.
The players barely catch their breath and have to return to the pitch for the first of two 15-minute periods in extra time. A clear winner is needed to decide the game, so if the stalemate persists after extra time, we will head to penalties.
The pendulum continues to swing. It is Inter's turn now to mount a sterling comeback. Davide Frattesi drills it into the far bottom corner of the Barca goal from his left foot in the 99th minute to put the hosts up, yet again in the tie. Can Barca bounce back, yet again?
After a dramatic end to the first period of added time, with the referee blowing the whistle even as Inter attempted to build an attacking move, the players are back on the pitch for the final 15 minutes of added time.
It's all over! Extra-time ends and despite Barcelona's fervent attempts till the end, including Lamine Yamal's late shot that was superbly parried by Yann Sommer, Inter hold on to win the second leg 4-3 and the tie 7-6 on aggregate. We have witnessed a clash for the ages, an epic in the true sense of the word. After numerous twists, turns and comebacks from both sides, it is the Nerazzurri who book a place in the Champions League final for the fourth time in their history.
After tonight's exhilarating action, attention shifts to the second leg of the second UEFA Champions League semi-final, to be played between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain on May 8 at 12:30am IST. The winner of that tie will meet Inter in the final, which will be held on June 1.