Champions League. Group C. Fourth round
Barcelona. Camp Nou
“Barcelona” – “Inter” 3: 3
Naked: Dembele 40, Lewandowski 82, 90 + 2 – Barella 50, Lautaro Martinez 63, Gozens 89
“Barcelona“: Ter Stegen, Roberto (Kessy 72), Piqué, Garcia, Alonso (Balde 72), Busquets (De Jong 64), Pedri, Gavi (F. Torres 83), Dembele, Lewandowski, Rafinha (Fati 64)
“Inter“: Onana, Skrinjar, De Fry, Bastogne (Acerbi 85), Dumfries, Barella (Asllani 85), Chalkhanoglu (Gozens 76), Dimarco (Darmian 67), Mkhitaryan, Lautaro Martinez, Dzeko (Bellanova 76)
Warnings: Dembele 78 – Lautaro Martinez 52, De Fray 55, Mkhitaryan 84
Chief Referee: Szymon Marciniak (Poland)
The end. That’s what Xavi called this game, that’s what his departments and the press called it. After the defeat in Milan, today “Barcelona” were forced to win, otherwise relegation to the Europa League was almost inevitable. In case of defeat – officially inevitable. Furthermore, the coach did not request 1: 0, but at least 2: 0. That is, the advantage in personal meetings. Hoping for insane “fundamental” support from the stadium and their own adjustments.
But Inter also had their plans. With a win a week ago, he came out of a deep crisis that threatened to sack Simone Inzaghi. Then he also won a difficult away match against Sassuolo, which also gave him confidence. It is no coincidence that Inzaghi in Italy has the glory of cup coach. So he prepared the team for the final. Realizing that he won’t see much of the ball and asking to dispose of the ones he will receive.
Xavi’s adjustments worked in the first half. How to change the bands to Dembele and Rafinha, who connects Gavi and Pedri from the first minutes, hits from distance. And above all, intensity. The Blaugrana played very fast. Result – 15: 3 on shots on goal at the end of the time. This is after 7: 5 on the results of the whole match a week ago and defeats on the shots on goal of “Celta” and “Mallorca” in the league. The hosts certainly played for a goal.
Lewandowski closes the corner – Mkhitaryan is eliminated from the goal line. Gavi nearly missed with one knee. Dembele spun from 17 meters – Onana. Roberto shoots from a distance, Onana releases the ball and touches the shot. Rafinha closes the shot from the wing, a bit imprecise. Pedri didn’t hit Onan from close range after the rebound. As a result, Rafinha on the right wing gave to Roberto, shot and Dembele closed. Unexpected draw.
However, the guests played fairly decently, dangerously on the counterattack and could look forward to the second half. Dzeko closes the punishment in the fall on the crossbar and De Fry, finishing point blank, misses the ball. Dumfries completes a three-on-two counterattack – Ter Stegen retires. He took Marc-André and Mkhitaryan’s shot from outside the box.
The second half begins with a shock for the hosts. The long ball seemed to go nowhere. Pique stopped. But behind him was Barella. Nicolò took all the time, took the ball and threw powerful. Immediately free kick with rebounds by Ter Stegen miraculously dragged from the goal line. And against the backdrop of a powerful, but completely reckless and banal mass, “Barcelona” Chalkhanoglu and Lautaro fled on the counterattack, and the latter broke through the goalkeeper.
Over the next 20 minutes it seemed like “Barcelona” was over. He lowered his head and hands. By inertia, he continued to load balls into the opponent’s penalty area and shoot. But all this, as it seemed, without confidence in success. Until one of Lewandowski’s balls closed against the defender, he got a rebound and hit rock bottom. Here the stadium exploded. There was a feeling of Remontada, the breath of legendary times.
Inter landed him with a counterattack, a cross from Lautaro and a goal from substitute Gozens. Lewandowski returns with a header from Garcia’s cross. Asllani did not remove all the questions, having hit Ter Stegen on the counterattack, the German also saved Gozens from the header. And in the 98th minute, finally, the final whistle blows.
Crazy game. He will certainly enter the Pantheon of legendary matches at the legendary Camp Nou. But here in the Pantheon of the owners of this stadium will hardly enter. After all, this draw is in favor of the guests. Inter must beat Victoria at home and Barcelona will be in the Europa League for the second consecutive season. And you can’t say you don’t deserve it. With such a weak defense, with such naivety, with such fluctuations in the game.
Well, Inter deserves to go further for one simple reason: Inzaghi knows how to play the finals. He resisted the impact of the first half with minimal losses, started the second with a hurricane, on the counterattack he created no less, if not more, than the opponent – with his 62% possession of the ball and 23 shots on goal. He is mentally strong.
