Lamine Yamal stole the present and Marcus Thuram made competitors historical past as Barcelona and Inter Milan performed out an totally enthralling 3-3 draw of their Champions League semi-final first leg.
Raphinha added weight to his Ballon d’Or credentials as he eclipsed Lionel Messi’s document for many purpose contributions in Europe’s elite membership competitors in a single season for Barca on an evening when these inside Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys witnessed a panoramic show of soccer.
Thuram, returning to the aspect after harm, scored the quickest purpose in a Champions League last-four fixture when he discovered the online with a elegant back-heeled purpose after simply 30 seconds to provide Inter the lead.
Denzel Dumfries then doubled the lead with an equally sensible over-head kick shortly earlier than Yamal showcased his fledgling expertise on his one centesimal Barcelona look by scoring an beautiful solo effort to halve the deficit.
Feran Torres levelled the rating earlier than half-time however Simone Inzaghi’s aspect reclaimed the lead via Dumfries after the hour mark.
A Yann Sommer personal purpose from a fierce Raphinha strike introduced the hosts degree once more however neither aspect might discover a winner.
Champions League historical past is made
It took lower than a minute for the impasse to be damaged. Inter labored the ball out extensive to Dumfries who fired in a cross that Thuram diverted into the far nook courtesy of an beautiful half-volleyed back-heel.
It was a dream begin for the guests. The purpose, coming after simply 30 seconds, was the quickest in Champions League semi-final historical past.
WHAT A START FOR INTER 🤯
Marcus Thuram with an unbelievable flick to place Inter forward in 30 seconds 🤩
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/Y2hAiF5Vlb
— Soccer on TNT Sports activities (@footballontnt) April 30, 2025
Nerazzurri had received all 9 matches wherein they’d scored first within the Champions League this season. However the scores ought to maybe have been degree on 12-minutes when Yamal, who began the sport regardless of showing to limp out of the warm-up, discovered Torres on the sting of the field.
The Spaniard’s first contact, nevertheless, in the end let him down and his subsequent shot fizzed extensive.
The Barcelona ahead then noticed one other effort drift the mistaken aspect of the put up earlier than Dumfries shocked the hosts by doubling Inter’s benefit with one other elegant end.
From a nook, Francesco Acerbi’s header looped again in the direction of purpose and the marauding Dutch full-back slammed the ball residence with a shocking over-head kick.
Barcelona prodigy places on a present
The 2-goal benefit, nevertheless, would final simply three minutes, Yamal halving the deficit with a curling left-footed strike that nestled in off the far put up.
The sport was all of a sudden turning into an all-timer. Moments later, Yamal rattled the bar after bamboozling Federico Dimarco on the byline.
LAMINE YAMAL PULLS ONE BACK 🤩
Yamal glides via the Inter defence and hits a mesmerising end on his one centesimal Barcelona recreation 🔥
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/e1lFJA13y7
— Soccer on TNT Sports activities (@footballontnt) April 30, 2025
The electrical 17-year-old appeared to be within the temper. And it wasn’t lengthy earlier than Barca had been degree.
Pedri’s lofted cross was nodded throughout the field by Raphinha into the trail of Torres who this time was readily available to provide the end.
Raphinha’s help – his twentieth Champions League purpose contribution this time period – noticed him eclipse Messi for many in a single season for the Catalan membership.
Jules Kounde then had to get replaced via harm, bringing to an in depth a merely breathtaking first-half of soccer which noticed the momentum of the match swing wildly between the 2 groups.
A tightly-contested second-half
After the restart, Inter appeared to wrestle again the benefit and went shut when Dimarco was discovered by Yann Bisseck’s low cross, however the Italy worldwide blazed his shot effectively over.
With an hour gone, Inzaghi’s males did certainly reclaim the lead when Dumfries headed residence his second of the match from Hakan Calhanoglu’s deep nook.
However once more Barca hit again instantly, Raphinha rifling a shot from the sting of the field that clipped the underside of the bar earlier than deflecting in off Sommer.
20 UCL GOAL CONTRIBUTIONS THIS SEASON 🤯
He takes the document from Lionel Messi for many in a season for Barcelona 😍 pic.twitter.com/Nzxks01Qk9
— Soccer on TNT Sports activities (@footballontnt) April 30, 2025
There was little doubt now that this contest would go down as one of the crucial thrilling European nights in latest reminiscence.
There have been to be no additional targets however Inter thought they’d as soon as once more taken the lead via Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Nevertheless, the purpose was chalked off for offside after a VAR verify.
Yamal then hit the crossbar once more and Raphinha examined Sommer from distance late on with a strike that the Swiss goalkeeper was equal to.
And it proved to be the final motion on what was a pulsating night time of soccer.
All to play for at San Siro subsequent week.
