Good evening everybody and welcome along to another MARCA in English live blog, and we have a mouth-watering Champions League semifinal first leg clash tonight between Barcelona and Inter at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.
Fifteen years have ed since their last encounter at this stage, a tie that saw Inter's 2010 triumph en route to their third European title. Hansi Flick, in his debut European season with Barcelona, has revitalized the Catalan club's identity, infusing attacking flair and tactical discipline.
After advancing past Benfica and comfortably dispatching Borussia Dortmund despite a second-leg loss, Barcelona are back in the semifinal for the first time since 2019. The Blaugrana also carry red-hot domestic form into the tie. They clinched a dramatic Copa del Rey title against archrivals Real Madrid, and currently top LaLiga by four points.
Their confidence is matched by their home dominance, where they've netted 21 goals in six Champions League games at Montjuic this season. Inter have been a model of consistency under Simone Inzaghi, reaching the final in 2023 and now seeking a return trip. They topped their group alongside Barcelona with 19 points and then ousted Feyenoord and Bayern Munich with a blend of clinical finishing and defensive grit.
Inzaghi's team has allowed just five goals in the Champions League this season, keeping eight clean sheets in the process. With Inzaghi set to manage his 50th match in the competition, he brings a record of 26 wins -- the most ever by an Italian coach through that milestone.
Barcelona vs Inter LIVE - Latest News
Match ends, Barcelona 3, Inter Milan 3.
Second Half ends, Barcelona 3, Inter Milan 3.
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Yann Sommer.
Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time.
Attempt blocked. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Foul by Eric García (Barcelona).
Substitution, Barcelona. Gavi replaces Pedri.
Substitution, Barcelona. Andreas Christensen replaces Pau Cubarsí.
Substitution, Inter Milan. Piotr Zielinski replaces Marcus Thuram.
Substitution, Inter Milan. Matteo Darmian replaces Denzel Dumfries.
Attempt saved. Raphinha (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Nicolò Barella (Inter Milan).
Attempt missed. Nicolò Barella (Inter Milan) right footed shot from outside the box.
Offside, Inter Milan. Henrikh Mkhitaryan is caught offside.
Foul by Fermín López (Barcelona).
Nicolò Barella (Inter Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Raphinha (Barcelona) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Fermín López.
Attempt blocked. Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Substitution, Inter Milan. Davide Frattesi replaces Hakan Çalhanoglu.
Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona).
Mehdi Taremi (Inter Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Fermín López (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Pedri (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Nicolò Barella (Inter Milan).
Substitution, Barcelona. Fermín López replaces Dani Olmo.
Iñigo Martínez (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan).
Own Goal by Yann Sommer, Inter Milan. Barcelona 3, Inter Milan 3.
Raphinha (Barcelona) hits the woodwork with a left footed shot from outside the box following a corner.
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Denzel Dumfries.
Goal! Barcelona 2, Inter Milan 3. Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan) header from the centre of the box following a corner.
Corner, Inter Milan. Conceded by Ronald Araujo.
Foul by Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona).
Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Hakan Çalhanoglu (Inter Milan) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Pedri (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Hakan Çalhanoglu (Inter Milan).
Attempt saved. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Dani Olmo.
Offside, Inter Milan. Nicolò Barella is caught offside.
Substitution, Inter Milan. Carlos Augusto replaces Federico Dimarco.
Attempt missed. Pedri (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Pedri (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Massimo Ambrosini on Amazon Prime: "Barcelona have too much quality to be completely contained. The game changed with Yamal's great play, then Barcelona's strength and technique brought the game level."
Offside, Inter Milan. Marcus Thuram is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Federico Dimarco (Inter Milan) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
Foul by Eric García (Barcelona).
Federico Dimarco (Inter Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ronald Araujo (Barcelona).
Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Hand ball by Dani Olmo (Barcelona).
Substitution, Barcelona. Ronald Araujo replaces Gerard Martín.
First Half ends, Barcelona 2, Inter Milan 2.
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Fourth official has announced 2 minutes of added time.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match because of an injury Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan).
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Lautaro Martínez.
Attempt blocked. Raphinha (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Pedri.
Substitution, Barcelona. Eric García replaces Jules Koundé because of an injury.
Ferran Torres (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Hakan Çalhanoglu (Inter Milan).
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match because of an injury Jules Koundé (Barcelona).
Goal! Barcelona 2, Inter Milan 2. Ferran Torres (Barcelona) right footed shot from very close range.
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Yann Sommer.
Attempt blocked. Ferran Torres (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Raphinha.
Attempt saved. Dani Olmo (Barcelona) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Iñigo Martínez (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan).
Foul by Raphinha (Barcelona).
Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) hits the woodwork with a left footed shot from a difficult angle on the right.
Goal! Barcelona 1, Inter Milan 2. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) left footed shot from the right side of the box.
Goal! Barcelona 0, Inter Milan 2. Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan) right footed shot from very close range following a corner.
Corner, Inter Milan. Conceded by Iñigo Martínez.
Attempt missed. Ferran Torres (Barcelona) right footed shot from the left side of the box following a corner.
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Yann Bisseck.
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Foul by Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan).
Gerard Martín (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Dani Olmo (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by sco Acerbi (Inter Milan).
Offside, Inter Milan. Denzel Dumfries is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Ferran Torres (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Lamine Yamal.
Offside, Inter Milan. Lautaro Martínez is caught offside.
Foul by Dani Olmo (Barcelona).
Foul by Dani Olmo (Barcelona).
Yann Bisseck (Inter Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Raphinha (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Federico Dimarco (Inter Milan).
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by sco Acerbi.
Attempt blocked. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) left footed shot from long range on the right is blocked. Assisted by Frenkie de Jong.
Goal! Barcelona 0, Inter Milan 1. Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan) right footed shot from the centre of the box.
First Half begins.
Ally McCoist on TNT Sports: "I actually think they're [Inter] the one side you don't want to play against. You know how Paris Saint-Germain are going to play, you've got a fair idea about Arsenal, Barcelona play the same way, but Inter can be dogged. They got a great result against Bayern."
Julio Cesar on Amazon Prime: "Barcelona will find that Inter are very confident in defence and I think their forwards will have many problems. Inter defend very well and the stats prove it."
Clarence Seedorf on Amazon Prime: "Inzaghi is an experienced coach at this level, one of the best in Europe. He knows his team and knows how to get the best out of the players."
Barcelona XI: Szczesny, Koundé, Cubarsí, Iñigo Martínez, Gerard Martín, Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, Olmo, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Ferran Torres.
Inter XI: Sommer, Dumfries, Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni, Dimarco, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Thuram, Lautaro.
Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Barcelona vs Inter - Team News
Barcelona are still without Robert Lewandowski, sidelined with a hamstring injury, while Alejandro Balde faces a late fitness test. If unavailable, Gerard Martin is expected to step in at left-back. Marc-Andre ter Stegen has returned to the squad but Wojciech Szczesny should continue in goal. Up front, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, who have combined for five Champions League goals and 16 created chances, will flank Ferran Torres.
Inter's attack is led by the prolific Lautaro Martinez, who has scored in five consecutive European appearances. His strike partner Marcus Thuram, recovering from a thigh injury, may return, while backup options Correa, Arnautovic, and Taremi remain on standby. Defensively, Inter hope Benjamin Pavard can recover in time, while Dumfries and Zielinski returned against Roma. Suspended players Bastoni and Mkhitaryan in Serie A are eligible and expected to start.
Barcelona possible starting XI: Szczesny; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Martin; De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Torres
Inter Milan possible starting XI: Sommer; Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martinez, Thuram
Where to watch Barcelona vs Inter?
For fans in the United Kingdom, Barcelona vs Inter can be seen on TNT Sports 1 (discovery+). Fans in Ireland can tune in via RTE, Virgin and Livescore.
US-based fans will be able to see Barcelona vs Inter on CBS Sports and TUDN.
What time does Barcelona vs Inter start?
Barcelona vs Inter is a 21:00 CEST kick-off, which is local time in Spain. That means fans in the UK and Ireland can watch the game at 20:00 BST.
Fans in the USA can tune in to watch Barcelona vs Inter at 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT.