Barça and Inter Milan play the first leg of the Champions League semifinals, a match that will be played this Wednesday, April 30 at 9:00 PM. Montjuïc hosts a match of this nature for the first time, so it is expected that the "sold out" sign will be posted. The match can be watched on Movistar Liga de Campeones and the minute-by-minute through our social media @carpetasfcb
Clement Turpin will be the main referee, while Jerome Brisard will be in the VAR. The French referee, at 42 years old, is considered one of the best in the European scene. This season he has already refereed Real Madrid, while it will be the first time he officiates a Barça match and the 5th in his entire career.
How Barça Arrives
Flick's team arrives launched into this semifinal, after the 'in extremis' victory in the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid. The hero of that night was Jules Koundé, the French full-back put the finishing touch to an impressive performance at the Estadio de la Caruja. In this competition, they have faced the Italian giant 6 times, with a total record of 2 wins, 2 losses, and a draw.
Hans Flick and Lamine Yamal have been chosen to attend the pre-match press conference, being the first for the Spanish winger this year. Lamine commented that he lost his fear a long time ago and that being a youth player makes you feel the jersey much more. Meanwhile, the German coach commented that Inter's recent defeats don't make them any less dangerous and that these days have been very good for the squad.
Regarding the line-up, one thing is clear, and that is that there will be no movement in the goal, meaning Szczęsny will remain as the starter, while in the league he may rotate. One of the doubts is at left-back, as Balde won't make it and Gerard Martín left some doubts, especially in attack. Ferran will be the '9' again and Fermín's good minutes against Madrid may earn him a spot in the line-up.
How Inter Milan Arrives
The Italian team doesn't arrive in their best moment, 3 consecutive defeats, one in the Cup and the others in the league, being overtaken by Napoli. Although they are going through a bad streak, Simone Inzaghi's team concedes very little, in the Champions League they average 0.86 goals conceded per match compared to almost two they score per match. Additionally, in Europe, they are showing their best version, in the group stage they finished fourth, then eliminated Feyenoord (4-1) and Bayern (4-3).
The Italian coach, Inzaghi, has reiterated several times that the bad moment they are going through won't influence tomorrow's match. He also highlighted the good work being done at La Masia and congratulated Flick on the great team he has built. Lautaro, who was also at the press conference, wanted to avoid making comparisons between Messi and Lamine, and also assured that the most important thing is the focus for tomorrow.
The Italian coach will continue betting on his well-known 3-5-2, although he won't be able to count on Pavard, as Marcus Thuram seems to make it. His substitutes will be Bisseck in defense and Arnautovic up front, accompanied by the Argentine Lautaro Martínez. The rest of the XI will be the same that lost to Roma, except for Mkhitaryan who didn't play due to suspension.
Match Keys
Lautaro, the 'neoazurra' Reference: the Argentine forward has been the leader of this team for several years. The '10' is having a fantastic season, in the Champions League he has 8 goals in 11 matches, while in Serie A, 12 goals and 3 assists in 29 matches. Thanks to these stats, the player born in Bahía Blanca became Inter's all-time top scorer in this competition at 27 years old.
Defensive Solidity: the match will be marked by two very defined playing styles, a Barça that will want to dominate with the ball and Inter counterattacking with danger. Inzaghi's team proposes a very demanding physical duel, in addition to forcing their opponents to be very focused on defense due to their lethal counterattacks. The difference in goals conceded between both teams is very large, the blaugranas have conceded 17 goals, while the Italians only 5.
The Home Factor: Barça secured their place in the semifinals with a great first-leg quarterfinal match, a resounding 4-0 at home, something Dortmund couldn't overcome. It's unlikely this will be repeated, as Inter is better than the Germans in defense, but it is feasible to get a positive result. These are semifinals, and the most logical thing is to suffer, however, Lluís Companys must help their players secure a place in that desired final against Arsenal or PSG.
Winning Mentality: one of the most important attributes of this Barça under Flick is their mentality in the face of their opponent's blows. They already showed it in the Cup final and in some matches of this competition, where not even several goals against made the team lower their arms. That winning team spirit wins titles.