Treble-chasing Barcelona faced Inter Milan in the semifinal of the 2024-25 Champions League season, with the first leg hosted in Spain.
BAR vs INT Match Details
Date: Tuesday, 30 April 2025 / Wednesday, 1 May 2025
Time: 21:00 (CET), 00:30 (IST)
Venue: Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona
BAR vs INT Match Preview
Barcelona claimed their second trophy of the season in the form of the Copa del Rey after they beat their arch-rivals Real Madrid, just as they did for the Spanish Super Cup victory, in a heated final that required a Jules Kounde strike in extra-time to seal a thrilling 3-2 win. The success has now put the Catalan giants on the driving seat to complete a four-peat, leading the La Liga table, four points clear of Los Blancos and entering the semifinals of the Champions League. The clash with Inter Milan comes three days after the pulsating final over the past weekend, although the first leg will be held at home. Barcelona faced Inter Milan at the same stage of the competition as 15 years ago, when they were eliminated in front of the home fans by the Italian giants despite being favourites like they are now. The side won the second leg 1-0 but lost 3-2 on aggregate. It will be an even bigger shock if Hansi Flick’s side collapse here, having eased through the League Phase and beating Benfica & Dortmund to make their place in the last four. Having not suffered defeat in any of the past six home games in the competition, the side will be determined to finish the job early, as they did in the quarterfinal tie. They secured a 4-0 victory in the previous continental match at Lluís Companys, which helped them qualify despite losing 3-1 in the reverse leg. The Spanish giants will want to escape the semifinal stage, which they last did in 2015, the year they won the trophy.
Inter Milan also had an eye-catching run in the tournament this season, finishing fourth in the League Phase, conceding just one goal and getting past the challenge of Feyenoord and sensationally Bayern Munich. The Bavarians were frustrated by Simeone Inzaghi’s side's rigid defence and lethal counters over two legs, a strategy they now want to implement against a rampaging side in the last four. They have every reason to believe in their progression to another final in two years after matching the points tally of Barcelona in the League Phase and staying unbeaten in the last two meetings. The team has also lost just twice in the previous 20 matches in the Champions League and is carrying a six-game unbeaten run in the competition, to the game where their manager will complete his 50th game in UEFA's top competition. However, Inter Milan are not feeling positive over the last few games, with their 13-game unbeaten streak ending away at Bologna before they were hammered in the Milan derby in Coppa Italia semifinals and succumbed to another loss to Roma this weekend, causing them to slip from the top spot of Serie A. Despite the series of negative results coming at the wrong time of the season, the Nerazzuri will be determined to pick up a result in the away leg through their resilience to keep an attack that has scored the most goals in the tournament quiet.
BAR vs INT Recent Form (all competitions)
BAR: WLWWW
INT: WDLLL
BAR vs INT Recent Form (Champions League)
BAR: DWWWL
INT: WWWWD
BAR vs INT Team News
Robert Lewandowski will be absent for both legs of the semifinal, with Ferran Torres replacing him perfectly so far. Left-back Alejandro Balde is back from his injury, but Gerard Martin will continue in his position at least for one more game. Marc-Andre ter Stegen is also back in contention after a long battle from an ACL injury suffered in September last year. However, Wojciech Szczesny cannot be moved from the number one spot with his present form.
The big miss for the visitors is Benjamin Pavard, who sprained his ankle at the weekend, which means Yann Aurel Bisseck will start alongside Francesco Acerbi and Alessandro Bastoni in the back three for the clash. Denzel Dumfries and Piotr Zielinski both returned to action against Roma and should be available to starṭ. Lautaro Martinez became the first player in Inter Milan's history to score 20 or more goals in the Champions League and will lead the line again, partnering Marcus Thuram up front.
BAR vs INT Predicted Lineups
Barcelona
Szczesny; Kounde, Cubarsi, I Martinez, Martin; De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Torres
Inter Milan
Sommer; Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; L Martinez, Thuram
BAR vs INT Head-to-head
Pld: 12
BAR won: 6
Drawn: 4
INT won: 2
BAR vs INT Dream11 Match Prediction
Barcelona have not lost at home to Inter Milan in this competition, aiming to keep the streak alive in the first leg and secure a significant advantage for the away match. The Nerazzuri have looked powerless at both ends in the last few games, which would cost them here despite showing solidity on the continental level. We predict a 2-0 win for the hosts.
BAR vs INT Dream11 Top picks
Captain Pick: Lamine Yamal
Vice-captain Picks: Ferran Torres, Raphinha, Lautaro Martinez
BAR vs INT Dream11 Team Suggestion
GK: Sommer (Cr - 7.5, Pts - 255)
DEF: Kounde (Cr - 8.5, Pts - 327), Martinez (Cr - 8, Pts - 284), Bastoni (Cr - 8, Pts - 170)
MID: Yamal (Cr - 9, Pts - 353), Pedri (Cr - 8.5, Pts - 339), Calhanoglu (Cr - 8, Pts - 312), Olmo (Cr - 8, Pts - 182)
FW: Torres (Cr - 8, Pts - 142), L Martinez (Cr - 9, Pts - 219), Raphinha (Cr - 9, Pts - 908)
Vice-captain: Ferran Torres
Captain: Lamine Yamal
