Inter Milan has secured a place in the Champions League final for the second time in the last three years, triumphing over Barcelona with a 4-3 extra-time victory, resulting in a 7-6 aggregate score. The match, played in front of the home crowd at the San Siro, offered plenty of drama, but it was midfielder Davide Frattesi who delivered a truly memorable moment with his unconventional goal in the 99th minute.
The sequence began when Marcus Thuram passed the ball to forward Mehdi Taremi, who showed impressive selflessness by laying it off to Frattesi. Frattesi then displayed composure beyond his years, faking a shot before expertly firing the ball past Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny for what proved to be the decisive goal. Remarkably, this was only Frattesi`s seventh goal of the season and his first in eight appearances for Inter across all competitions. His previous notable goal was also a late one, scoring in the 88th minute of the first leg of Inter`s quarterfinal victory against Bayern Munich, a tie they narrowly won 4-3 on aggregate.
Speaking to CBS Sports after the momentous victory, Frattesi was asked about how he managed to remain so composed when finishing with such high stakes. His reply was simple and strikingly direct.
“I don`t know, maybe I was thinking that if I don`t score, I`m f—ed,” Frattesi candidly admitted.
In critical scoring opportunities with immense pressure, players can sometimes experience `tunnel vision`. However, the Inter midfielder successfully channeled that intensity into a composed and effective finish that will propel his team to the Champions League final on May 31. While the ultimate job is not yet complete, with the final looming and three crucial Serie A matches remaining where Inter still aims to challenge Napoli for the Scudetto, crucial contributions like the one from Frattesi highlight the team`s potential to achieve great things this season.
Adrian Whitmore