Barcelona Survives in a Massive Battle

Barcelona will face Milan to secure a spot in the Champions League final. Hansi Flick's team couldn't get past a draw against Inter in a match that was a rollercoaster. The Catalans came back from a 0-2 deficit thanks to an outstanding Lamine Yamal, conceded a third goal, and finally equalised with a strike from Raphinha. Everything will be decided in less than a week in a match that promises intense emotions.

From the start, it was clear it was a special day. Sometimes the crowd pushes you forward, and other times it overwhelms you. This happened to Barça at the beginning, catching everyone off guard. The Lluis Companys stadium displayed a spectacular tifo saying 'One mission, the final', with a lot of noise to intimidate the Italians and even a nod to the five Champions League trophies in the cabinet. Everything was ideal, and Flick responded with the Copa final lineup. The problem is that sometimes the villain strikes first, and this happened long before the Catalans could draw their weapons.

Only thirty seconds had passed when Marcus Thuram entered the area and caught a cross with a superb backheel that Szczesny could do little about, as surprised as the 50,000 attendees still settling into their seats. The ball went in smoothly, as if announcing what could be a torture for a Barça facing the worst possible scenario. It was time to turn the score around against an Italian team. Mourinho, the sprinklers, and even the Camp Nou were no longer there, but perhaps it was a Barça - Inter match to be played in one direction. A cursed déjà vu, thought the veterans.

This time it wasn't the case. Inter didn't sit back in their own half but showed they were a versatile team capable of handling different styles. First, they gave ground to the Blaugrana's push, including two chances from Ferran Torres, and then pressed in the opposing half, forcing Flick's side into errors. It came from a corner where there was a flick-on, and Dumfries executed a scissor kick that ended in a goal, leaving a Lluis Companys ready for a party suddenly prepared for a funeral.

That's when the stars need to step up. Barça didn't have the fluidity of other days, Olmo was shackled between the lines, and Ferran hadn't been accurate, but there was still the talent of a player who is pure dynamite. Lamine Yamal doesn't understand blackouts; he has his own light and dazzled an Inter that seemed impenetrable. He wanted the ball when it was most dangerous and weaved through a sea of legs to score a long-post goal of an artist that made everyone present believe. How could you not believe when a 17-year-old takes the team on his shoulders! Lamine Yamal hit another ball off the crossbar, delivered two golden balls that Olmo couldn't convert past Sommer, and celebrated Ferran Torres' equaliser after a header from Raphinha. The match was finally level, and although Koundé left injured, there were reasons to believe.

After the restart, Araújo replaced Gerard Martín, and Barça wanted to subdue a rebellious Inter. The ball moved from side to side but without enough speed to unsettle the Italians, who also stepped forward, pressing even in the opposing half. This scenario didn't displease a Barça that could attack the depth but also had to be alert to any mistakes. That situation arose again from a set piece. Szczesny was caught in no man's land on a devilish cross from Calhanoglu, and Dumfries headed home the 3-2, condemning the Blaugrana to another comeback.

Once again, the Lluis Companys, spectacular all night, pushed hard, and once again, Barça charged forward. Barely a minute after Dumfries' goal, Raphinha conjured a missile that hit the woodwork and found the net after rebounding off Sommer. The match was boiling, and Barça had to choose whether to seek the fourth goal or play it safe. With Flick, that debate doesn't exist, and his team continued with a knife between their teeth for many minutes, with the threat of Dumfries, a nightmare all night, still looming. Finally, the score didn't change, and everything will be decided in Milan after a crazy match in which Barça made too many mistakes for a Champions League semi-final.