Davide Frattesi's extra-time strike proved to be the decisive moment as Inter Milan booked their place in the Champions League final after a breathtaking 4-3 win over Barcelona at San Siro in the second leg of their semi-final clash on Tuesday night, advancing 7-6 on aggregate.
There were just three minutes left of normal time when Raphinha appeared to have won the tie, pouncing on a rebound to fire Barcelona in front for the first time in a hectic tie, but Inter's Francesco Acerbi was not ready to give up the ghost, as he converted brilliantly from a Denzel Dumfries cross to force extra time deep into stoppage time, levelling the tie up at 6-6 on aggregate, before Frattesi curled home a stunning winner in the additional period.
Inter found themselves in a fantastic position at the interval, leading 2-0 thanks to Lautaro Martinez's goal and a penalty from Hakan Calhanoglu, as history repeated itself following their fast start a week ago.
However, Hansi Flick's side were quick out the traps following half time, pulling level before the hour thanks to goals from Eric Garcia and Dani Olmo, while the former also missed a golden opportunity to add another to his tally, before the visitors were denied a penalty, with VAR judging Henrikh Mkhitaryan's foul on Lamine Yamal was outside the area.
Those efforts were all in vain, though, as the visitors were unable to fight back in the latter stages of extra time after Frattesi's goal, and it will be Inter Milan who will contest the Champions League final in Munich.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
There is not much more you can do than simply salute these two phenomenal outfits for the spectacle they have produced over the two scintillating legs, and there is little doubt that they have played their part in the greatest Champions League tie of all time.
The neutrals may well have wanted to see Barcelona in the Champions League final, but after these two legs, Inter have proven their credentials as the best team in Europe, fighting back from adversity, before showing off their greatest asset, teamwork and determination.
It is just a second defeat in 31 games for Flick's side, who it is tough to be critical of given the attacking performance they put in to fight back after being two goals down in both legs, but defensive shortcomings were there for all to see, and have ultimately cost them a place in Munich.
For Inter and Inzaghi, though, they will now have a chance at redemption after losing the 2023 final, and Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal await the Nerazzurri at the Allianz Arena.
INTER VS. BARCELONA HIGHLIGHTS
L. Martinez goal vs. Barcelona (21st min, Inter (4) 1-0 (3) Barcelona)
Barca's high line has been exposed and Inter take the initiative in Milan! Inzaghi's men are quick to pounce on the visitors high up the pitch, and Dumfries is played in behind with Martinez in support, and the wing-back squares for the skipper, who puts the hosts in front.
Calhanoglu pen vs. Barcelona (45th min, Inter (5) 2-0 (3) Barcelona)
VAR is used perfectly by referee Szymon Marciniak, who goes over to the monitor to see that Pau Cubarsi failed to win the ball when lunging in on Martinez, but with the captain off the pitch receiving treatment, Calhanoglu takes command and sends Wojciech Szczesny the wrong way from the spot to put Inter two goals ahead inside the first half, just as they were last week.
Garcia goal vs. Inter (53rd min, Inter (5) 2-1 (4) Barcelona)
Barca are alive and kicking in Milan and it is the unlikeliest of goalscorers as Garcia pops up from right-back with a wonderful volley! Inter fail on numerous occasions to clear the ball and Gerard Martin's cross is met sweetly by the stand-in who halves the deficit at San Siro.
Olmo goal vs. Inter (60th min, Inter (5) 2-2 (5) Barcelona)
Cometh the hour, cometh the man, Olmo has levelled this astonishing tie up once again! After setting up the first goal, Martin provides another excellent assist, crossing from deep and picking out an unmarked Olmo, who had the freedom of Milan to nod past Yann Sommer in the Inter goal. What next?
Raphinha goal vs. Inter (87th min, Inter (5) 2-3 (6) Barcelona)
The pressure has paid off and Barca can almost smell the turf of the Allianz Arena as Raphinha has surely popped up with the winner three minutes from time! Nicolo Barella's loose pass is intercepted and the ball is worked out to the left, where the Brazilian was waiting, and despite initially being denied by Sommer, Raphinha rifles the rebound into the far corner.
Acerbi goal vs. Barcelona (90+3 min, Inter (6) 3-3 (6) Barcelona)
It is not all over and we are heading for 30 more minutes at San Siro! Martin is outmuscled on the right flank by Dumfries, and Inter's player of the tie gets his head up to pick out 37-year-old Acerbi, who spins Ronald Araujo, and thunders an effort into the roof of the net beyond Szczesny like a seasoned striker. The greatest tie in the history of the Champions League bar none!
Frattesi goal vs. Barcelona (99th min, Inter (7) 4-3 (6) Barcelona)
Scarcely believable. Frattesi becomes the seventh and possibly most-important scorer of an utterly inconceivable series of events here at the Giuseppe Meazza, collecting the ball off Mehdi Taremi, and curling into the far left corner of the Barcelona goal to restore the advantage they had relinquished early in the second half.
MAN OF THE MATCH - DENZEL DUMFRIES
Yamal got all the headlines in the first leg even though Dumfries scored twice from right wing-back, but there is no doubt he has been the player of the tie, registering two assists tonight, including for the vital equaliser that forced extra time.
The Dutchman gave Martin nightmares all evening, and ultimately, it will be the performance of Inter's right wing-back that will go down as the pivotal factor in this sensational tie.
INTER VS. BARCELONA MATCH STATS
Possession: Inter 29%-71% Barcelona
Shots: Inter 13-22 Barcelona
Shots on target: Inter 7-10 Barcelona
Corners: Inter 5-7 Barcelona
Fouls: Inter 14-10 Barcelona
BEST STATS
WHAT NEXT?
Inter now have three matches to wrestle back top spot off Napoli in the Serie A title race, starting with a trip to Torino on Sunday, while Barcelona are in El Clasico action once again in a possible La Liga title decider against Real Madrid.
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