In a thrilling encounter from beginning to end, the first leg of the Champions League semifinals concluded with a 3-3 draw between Barcelona and Inter at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on Tuesday, leaving the tie level ahead of the return match in Italy. Marcus Thuram, making his return to the starting lineup, quickly demonstrated his importance to Inter by scoring the fastest goal in UCL semifinal history, finding the net just 30 seconds into the game. However, 17-year-old Lamine Yamal also delivered a performance that defied description on his 100th appearance for Barcelona, scoring a magnificent solo goal. He came close to adding another, hitting the post late on, but Barcelona ultimately conceded from Inter`s set pieces in the drawn fixture.
Denzel Dumfries capitalized on corner kicks to score a brace, as this match evolved into a high-paced, end-to-end contest that captivated everyone. This result sets the stage for a potentially explosive second leg in Milan. Before we look ahead, let`s review how individual players performed in this exciting clash.
Barcelona Player Ratings
| Name | Minutes | Performance Review | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wojciech Szczesny | 90 | Caught out during Inter`s effective corner kicks; a challenging match for Barcelona`s goalkeeper. He needs to improve significantly if Barcelona are to have a chance in Italy. | 5 |
| Gerard Martin | 45 | Substituted at halftime as a tactical change. Like Jules Kounde, the outside back had a difficult game. | 5 |
| Inigo Martinez | 90 | Had a slightly better day than some defensive teammates, but conceding three goals overshadows individual defensive performances. | 6 |
| Pau Cubarsi | 83 | Similar to his center-back partner, Cubarsi didn`t have his best outing, but Barcelona`s defense tightened up in the second half to help secure the draw. | 6 |
| Jules Kounde | 42 | Struggled against Marcus Thuram for the opening goal and later picked up an injury, making it a match to forget for Kounde. | 5 |
| Frenkie de Jong | 90 | Generated some attacking opportunities and linked up well with Pedri in possession, but defensive responsibility is collective, and most non-attacking players are impacted by the goals conceded. | 6 |
| Pedri | 83 | As usual, crucial in keeping Barcelona`s attack flowing forward. While not spectacular, his consistent excellence allowed the attackers ahead of him to shine. | 6 |
| Dani Olmo | 68 | Unlucky not to score. Olmo found intelligent spaces when Inter focused on the wings and tested Yann Sommer in goal. | 7 |
| Raphinha | 90 | Another excellent performance, contributing an assist and scoring a goal that deflected off the bar and Sommer for an own goal. Barcelona will need the Brazilian to maintain this form in the second leg. | 8 |
| Ferran Torress | 90 | In Robert Lewandowski`s absence, Torres led the line effectively and found the back of the net. He played a vital role in driving Barcelona`s attack forward from the central position. | 8 |
| Lamine Yamal | 90 | Remarkable for a 17-year-old. His runs, vision, and shooting ability from various positions are exceptional. His goal and overall play on Tuesday showcased his brilliance at every turn. | 9 |
| Substitutes | |||
| Eric Garcia | Replaced Jules Kounde | Not flashy, but solid on the ball, helping Barcelona maintain possession and impetus after being called into action unexpectedly. | 6 |
| Ronald Araujo | Replaced Gerard Martin | Provided much-needed stability at the back. His strong performance off the bench suggests Hansi Flick has selection decisions for the return leg. | 6 |
| Fermin Lopez | Replaced Dani Olmo | Kept the attack moving and tested Sommer. A good contribution for a substitute. | 6 |
| Andreas Christensen | Replaced Pau Cubarsi | Brought on for fresh legs and to avoid a second yellow for Cubarsi. | N/A |
| Gavi | Replaced Pedri | Came on late to help see out the game and contributed to keeping Barcelona`s play ticking over in limited time. | N/A |
| Manager | |||
| Hansi Flick | 5 Subs Used | Barcelona could have collapsed after falling two goals behind, but they showed great resilience to recover and secure the draw. Set-piece defense is a clear area for improvement, but overall, a solid performance given the circumstances. | 6 |
Inter Player Ratings
| Name | Minutes | Performance Review | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yann Sommer | 90 | Sommer has been excellent in the Champions League this season, but this was a forgettable outing. Barcelona had many shots, and conceding three goals from an xG of 1.39 suggests goalkeeping errors, compounded by an unfortunate own goal. | 4 |
| Alessandro Bastoni | 90 | Not his finest match. He struggled in individual duels, allowing Barcelona extra shooting opportunities within the box. While many were from low-percentage areas, Barcelona possesses finishers capable of making any chance dangerous. | 6 |
| Francesco Acerbi | 90 | Contributed a defender-to-defender assist from a set piece and maintained solid positional discipline, clearing potential Barcelona chances. | 7 |
| Yann Bisseck | 90 | Filling in for Benjamin Pavard, Bisseck found it challenging to keep pace with Barcelona`s attackers. This is often the case against Barcelona, but it was highlighted by the open nature of the game. | 5 |
| Federico Dimarco | 56 | Returning from injury, Dimarco helped push Inter forward but spent significant energy trying to handle Yamal. | 5 |
| Henrikh Mkhitaryan | 90 | Unlucky not to score, which could have drastically altered the match. Defensively not his best, but his creativity contributed positively. | 6 |
| Hakan Calhanoglu | 71 | Inter effectively utilized Calhanoglu`s superb set-piece delivery, which was crucial for their goals and keeping them in the tie. They will hope he avoids a yellow card in the second leg. | 7 |
| Nicolo Barella | 90 | A relatively quiet game by Barella`s usual standards. He struggled to dictate the midfield tempo against Barcelona`s possession dominance. | 6 |
| Denzel Dumfries | 81 | Outstanding contribution both from set pieces and in open play. Two goals and an assist is exceptional output from a right back. | 9 |
| Marcus Thuram | 81 | Showed Inter what they had missed by scoring within the first minute. His movement and touch are excellent, and Inter will need more from him to win the tie. | 8 |
| Lautaro Martinez | 45 | Did not impact the game significantly in the first half despite four goals being scored, unfortunately picking up a back injury just before halftime. A major setback for Inter in this crucial fixture. | 5 |
| Substitutes | |||
| Matteo Darmian | Replaced Denzel Dumfries | Came on for fresh legs and primarily focused on defensive duties, trying to prevent Barcelona from scoring further. | N/A |
| Carlos Agusto | Replaced Federico Dimarco | Created a couple of chances and was adequate defensively, although handling Barcelona`s wingers is a difficult task. | 6 |
| Davide Frattesi | Replaced Hakan Calhanoglu | Did not get on the ball much as Barcelona largely controlled possession towards the end of the match. | 6 |
| Pitor Zielinski | Replaced Marcus Thuram | Introduced for fresh legs and focused mostly on defensive tasks to help hold the score. | N/A |
| Mehdi Taremi | Replaced Lautaro Martinez | Entered the match but barely touched the ball. Losing Lautaro and potentially Thuram for the second leg is a significant concern for Inter`s attack. | N/A |
| Manager | |||
| Simone Inzaghi | 5 Subs Used | Considering injury issues and playing away at Barcelona, his side scoring three goals is an excellent attacking return, especially after being scoreless in their previous three games. However, conceding three goals needs addressing defensively. | 7 |
Adrian Whitmore