At the San Siro, the Champions League semi-finals featured an excellent show from the Serie A champions and La Liga leaders.
In their Champions League semi-final, Inter Milan and Barcelona tied a record that looked unachievable. The Italians advanced to the final with a 4-3 victory (7-6 on aggregate).
After an exhilarating stalemate in Barcelona last week, the teams entered Tuesday’s second leg of the Champions League semi-final with an aggregate score of 3-3.
Lamine Yamal, a 17-year-old Barca prospect who has improved under head coach Hansi Flick’s guidance this season, was the centre of attention for the media prior to kickoff.
However, Inter got off to a better start as they took the lead 21 minutes into the match thanks to a goal from Lautaro Martinez.
The Serie A team took a two-goal lead just before halftime when Hakan Calhanoglu scored a penalty.
But in true Barcelona flair, the Catalan team rallied with a volley from Eric Garcia at the 54-minute mark, and Dani Olmo tied the score at 2-2 on the evening and 5-5 overall at the hour.
After dominating the second half, Flick’s team believed they had won three minutes from the end when Raphinha blasted past Yann Sommer to put Barca ahead 6–5 overall.
And in the 94th minute, 37-year-old defender Francesco Acerbi produced a neat finish to force extra time, just when the supporters inside the San Siro believed it was done.
On the 99th minute, Davide Frattesi equalised a record by curling a left-footed goal past the defenceless Wojciech Szczęsny, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Inter was now 7-6 overall.
Liverpool’s 7-6 aggregate victory over Roma in the 2017–18 Champions League knockout round, which also took place in a semi-final, tied the record for most goals in a knockout match.
Alan Shearer stated, “I feel shattered watching it,” during his Prime Video commentary. “Goodness knows what those players feel out there.”
Most goals in the 2017–18 Champions League semifinals 13 Liverpool 7–6 Roma
13 Sporting CP, 2008/09 round of 16, Bayern 12-1
Werder Bremen 12 Lyon 10-2, round of 16 2004–05
12 Chelsea 7-5 Liverpool, quarterfinals, 2008–09
12 Bayer Leverkusen 10-2 Barcelona, 2011/12 round of 16
Monaco defeated Manchester City 6–6 (Monaco won on away goals), round of 16 2016–17
12 Round of 16: Arsenal 2-10 Bayern, 2016–17
12 Schalke 10-2 Manchester City, 2018–19 round of 16
12 Round of 16, Atalanta 8–4 Valencia, 2019–20
12Arsenal 9-3 PSV, round of 16 for 2024–25
11 Manchester United, 6-5 Real Madrid, 2002–03 quarterfinals
11 Chelsea 6-5 Bayern, quarterfinals, 2004–05
11 Manchester United, 8-3 Roma, quarterfinals, 2006–07
11 Round of 16: Real Madrid 9-2 Schalke, 2013–14
11 Bayern 7–4 Porto, quarterfinals, 2014–15
11 Paris Saint-Germain 6-5 Barcelona, round of 16 2016–17
11 Manchester City 6-5 Real Madrid, 2021/22 semifinals
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