By Enitan Abdultawab

In an expected turn of events, Inter Milan and Barcelona will settle the scores later tonight in a highly-anticipated semi-final second leg of the UEFA Champions League.

The last time at the Olympic Montjuic Stadium in Spain, the game ended 3 – 3, courtesy of an early Thuram goal and two accurate Dumfries goals for Inter Milan, a Lamine Yamal curler, a Ferran Torres tap-in and a Raphinha banger for Barcelona. The game was obviously was one of the best games of the campaign so far.

Both sides are coming off a win from their respective league games, with Inter Milan edging Verona by a goal to nil despite a lot of their key players getting a breather. Hansi Flick’s players did get an at least 45 minutes rest when they came back from behind to beat Real Valladolid away from home.

With nine members of their matchday squad playing in their 2023 loss to Manchester City, Simeone Inzaghi’s team will be focused on winning the Champions League final spot. On the other hand, Barça’s goal going into this game is to secure a berth in the title match in Munich at the end of the month and make it to their first European final in ten years for a coach and team who weren’t predicted to go this far along at the start of the season.

Team news

Inter Milan would be worried about the fitness of top scorer Lautaro Martinez due to a hamstring injury he sustained during the first leg, and his possible absence could give Mehdi Taremi or Marko Arnautovic a chance. French defender Benjamin Pavard is also doubtful. However, midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu will be available following his domestic suspension in Saturday’s victory over Verona, when Simone Inzaghi thoroughly rotated his squad.

As for Barclona, they would be without Alejandro Balde whom the medical staff have not passed fit. Jules Kounde left the pitch injured too last week and would not be participating. But the good news is that Robert Lewandowski would be hoping to get minutes after he had been passed fit and made available for the squad. Ter Stegen would not be in action as he is unregistered for the tournament and he joins other long-term absentees.

Possible line-ups

Inter (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Çalhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Lautaro

Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Eric, Araujo, Cubarsí, Iñigo; De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Ferran

Predictions

It will again be a game of high intensity especially for Barcelona who might not find it easy to defeat an Inter Milan side that have not lost in their last 15 home matches in UEFA’s top competition.

However, Hansi Flick’s side have shown that they do not respect stats and are very resolute until the last minute, a testament to how they have improved mentally.

Barcelona should go through.

1 – 2 in favour of the Blaugranes.

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