FC Barcelona will be on the brink of glory as they take the field at San Siro to face Inter in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League tie. However, the road to the final has never been more difficult.
A win would mark FC Barcelona’s first appearance in the final for the coveted trophy in 10 years. On the other hand, Inter would not only feel at home, but more closer to the trophy than ever. The last time the Italian club won the UEFA Champions League was in 2010, when they defeated the same team in the Semi Final. The recovery of Polish striker Robert Lewandowski and the form of 17-year-old Lamine Yamal would cheer up the Barcelona camp, but here are five reasons why we think the five-time champions would have their task cut out.
Similar to how Camp Nou is for FC Barcelona, Inter thrives in San Siro. The club has not lost at home in the UCL since 2022. Out of the 14 games they have played, Inter have won 11 and drawn 3 matches. Barcelona has managed to win only one of the six matches at this stadium, which was a group stage fixture in 2019. They have lost two and drawn three. Adding to their woes, Inter has lost only five home matches this season in all competitions.
Despite sailing easily through most of the competitions this year, Barcelona’s poor away record would concern the faithful fans. They’ve won just 5 out of 24 matches in Italy — their worst record in any non-Spanish country in the UCL. Their away defeats to AS Roma in 2018, and Liverpool FC in 2019 in the competition would still remain fresh in the team’s memories. Having lost the second leg against Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park in the quarter finals does not help their cause. In 2010 as well, FC Barcelona was defeated at San Siro.
If there is one team that really knows how to take set pieces in this year’s UCL, it is Inter. And no team is more prone to it than FC Barcelona. Two of Inter’s three goals in their last encounter came through corners. Both of them scored by Denzel Dumfries. In the last seven matches in all competitions, Barcelona have conceded five goals through corners. Coach Hansi Flick had rallied his troops to defend set pieces better if they want to have a title shot this year ahead of the first leg. Inter had edged past German side Bayern Munich, Flick’s previous team, in a similar fashion in the quarter finals.
It was a spectacular goal from their defender Joules Kounde which helped Barcelona secure a win against their rivals Real Madrid in the Copa Del Rey final. Having sustained a distal hamstring injury in his left leg, Kounde would miss out on the epic clash at San Siro. Alejandro Balde is also likely to be left out of the squad against Inter. With both the first-team left back and right back injured, Flick has indicated that he would field all centre-backs in the defense against Nerazzuri. With proven strikers in Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez, FC Barcelona would have to ward off their fatigue and be at their best.
When FC Barcelona take the field on May 7, they will be wearing a colour synonymous with heartbreak. Having secured a 3-0 lead against Liverpool at Camp Nou in the first leg of the 2019 UEFA Champions League Semi Final, they went down 4-0 at Anfield.
