Barcelona will face Inter Milan in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal. So make sure to join us on April 30 – Under the Big Top at Montreal’s legendary Olympic Stadium! This head-to-head is sure to be a cliffhanger! Both sides are battling tooth and nail for a chance to earn a place in the much-coveted final in Munich on May 31. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and history indicates an incredibly competitive matchup between these two football powerhouses.
The two sides have faced each other 12 times prior to Wednesday, with Barcelona generally holding the upper hand in the matchups. What an accomplishment for the Spanish club to have celebrated six victories! By comparison, Inter Milan have experienced two victories and four draws. Our previous encounter featured an equalizing volley from Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski in their October 12, 2022 meeting. Lewandowski’s involvement in this contest is highly questionable, given that he’s still recovering from a leg injury.
Tactical Adjustments for Barcelona
With Lewandowski suspended, Barcelona will have to turn to Ferran Torres to spearhead their attacking options. The team’s likely starting XI with Szczesny as the keeper. He will be supported by a robust defensive line with the Argentines Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez and Martin. De Jong and Pedri will be tasked with orchestrating the attack from midfield. Yamal, Olmo, and Raphinha will provide a lot of width and creativity up top. In order to give the Catalans an advantage, Torres will need to find the goal himself. His scoring will be important coming into the return leg.
Beyond winning the midfield battle, Barcelona will look to dictate the pace of play, especially the chances they create against a strict Inter Milan backline. They’ll follow the funnel back, relentlessly pursue and target any weaknesses in Inter’s setup. Along with this, they’ll be defensively structured enough to not give up many counters.
Inter Milan’s Form and Strategy
Inter Milan blows by Benfica into the semifinal after an all-out blitz in Serie A. They’re riding the wave of incredible form from star Marcus Thuram. Thuram has 14 goals and seven assists in 31 games this year. He’s a big threat on the counter and to Barcelona’s backline in general. Inter’s likely XI includes Sommer in goal. De Vrij, Acerbi and Augusto form a solid back three. Darmian, Frattesi, Calhanoglu, Barella and Dimarco should have an exciting plan to control the midfield. At the same time, Thuram is poised to join Lautaro Martinez in the attack.
Inter’s gameplan will likely involve staying well organized defensively, looking to score on set pieces and in transition. They’ll try to pressure high up the pitch to disrupt Barcelona’s buildup play, looking to counter quickly should the Catalan side overcommit to attack.
Looking Ahead to the Return Leg
The return fixture will be played at the San Siro in Milan on May 6. Both teams will be hungry to earn their place in the final. Whoever triumphs will book the opportunity to battle for European glory. They’ll battle at the Allianz Arena in Munich, capacity 75,000—one of the most spectacular stadiums in all sports.
