Barcelona’s treble dreams end in Italy
Barcelona and Inter played out another all-time Champions League classic at San Siro on Tuesday but it ended in heartbreak for Hansi Flick and his side. The Catalans were just minutes away from reaching the final but ended up going down 4-3 after extra-time.
And it’s not just the Champions League that’s gone. Barca’s treble dreams are over, a feat that really would have been quite extraordinary with such a young team in Flick’s first season in charge.
| Take a bow!
For only the second time in #UCL history, both sides scored 6+ goals in a single semifinal tie.
Inter and Barcelona, the whole football world thanks you for each and every of those 210 minutes of play. #InterBarca pic.twitter.com/G7AwL1zEPf
— Sofascore Football (@SofascoreINT) May 6, 2025
Despite the disappointment, and the fury at the referee, Barca do leave with their heads held high. These two games will live long in the memory for all fans after almost four hours of football, an incredible 13 goals, moments of brilliance and near-constant drama.
It should probably have been over by half-time at San Siro, too. Yet Barca once again showed such incredible heart to fight back and make it 3-2. They would have had a few more but for Yann Sommer having the night of his life in the Inter goal.
✨ | Messi vibes!
There have been only two instances in which a player completed 14+ dribbles in a #UCL semifinal since the start of the 2003/04 campaign:
• Lionel Messi (16/21 v Manchester United in 2008)
• Lamine Yamal v Inter
He's only just getting started. … pic.twitter.com/LdrgwOLAF3
— Sofascore Football (@SofascoreINT) May 6, 2025
Meanwhile, Lamine Yamal proved to the world yet again he really is too good to be true, Eric Garcia quietened his critics with a quite ridiculous goal and even the much-maligned Gerard Martin ended the game with two assists.
Yet Jules Kounde probably put it best of all with his post on X after the final whistle: “Tonight more than ever I feel proud of my team! Visca Barça.”
Flick and Barcelona left riled by referee
There’s no doubt though that the defeat has left a bitter taste in Barcelona mouths. Hansi Flick felt “every 50:50 decision” went Inter’s way, while Pedri went even further and called for UEFA to investigate.
Referee Szymon Marciniak certainly had plenty to do in the 120 minutes. Barca were incensed he missed what seemed a clear handball by Francesco Acerbi in the penalty area early on and even more baffled when VAR didn’t bother to look either.
FC Internazionale Milano v FC Barcelona - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Semi Final Second Leg Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
Yet VAR was quick to intervene when calling on Marciniak to overturn his decision on Pau Cubarsi’s tackle on Lautaro Martinez and award a penalty. TV replays prompted plenty of debate about whether it should have been a penalty or not, which only led to more confusion as to why VAR thought it a clear and obvious error.
And there was more controversy when a penalty for a foul on Lamine Yamal was chalked off and changed to a free-kick outside the box, while a foul on Gerard Martin was ignored just before Inter made it 3-3 at the death.
During a season where refereeing and VAR has been in the spotlight, it’s a real shame that after such a brilliant and enthralling game we are left talking about the referee’s performance once again.
What can Barcelona learn?
For all the anger at the referee, Barca will know that the officials were not the only reason for their exit. Conceding seven goals across two legs of a semi-final was always going to make it very difficult to progress and so it proved.
Flick’s high-risk, high-reward strategy continues to be brilliant to watch, and may well deliver the double, but it also offers opponents acres of space to run into and plenty of encouragement they can score a goal or two.
Barcelona played 210 minutes against Inter but were only ahead for five minutes in the whole of the tie. While they will probably feel they should have won after going 3-2 up, allowing Inter to score four goals from just 29% possession in 120 minutes at San Siro tells its own story.
Inter scored 4 goals from just 29% possession in 120 minutes at the San Siro.
Here's how Inzaghi used Dumfries to punish Barcelona's high line.
— Squawka (@Squawka) May 7, 2025
That’s now 24 goals conceded in 14 matches in this season’s Champions League. According to MisterChip, no team with such a high goals-against average (1.71 per game) has ever reached the final of the tournament.
The loss of both Alejandro Balde and Jules was obviously huge and showed once again that reinforcements are needed. Yet Flick will also know more improvements are required if his team are to be crowned kings of Europe once again.
Yet no-one expected Barcelona to challenge for the Champions League this season and to have got this far deserves credit. The team have also banished a few ghosts along the way: they beat Bayern in the group stages, have demonstrated a mental strength perhaps lacking in seasons past and have shown they can go toe-to-toe with Europe’s best.
As Inigo Martinez said afterwards: “Where others see the end, we see the beginning of the comeback.”