Barcelona and Inter Milan collide in a Champions League semi-final crackling with history, from Mourinho’s 2010 heist to Lewandowski’s 2022 heroics. Hansi Flick’s revitalised Barca face Simone Inzaghi’s Nerazzurri in a tactical chess match.
Match Details
Fixture: Barcelona vs Inter Milan Date: Wednesday, 30 April 2025 Kick-off: 20:00 (UK) Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona
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Our predictions for Barcelona vs Inter
After winning the Cope del Ray at the weekend and sitting pretty at the top of La Liga, Barcelona have their sights set on a sizable trophy haul this season - but they have to overcome a stubborn Inter Milan team in the Champions League semi-finals.
Expect Barca to dominate possession as Inter soak up the pressure before looking to spark counter attacks, releasing the likes of Lautaro Martinez on an exposed Barcelona defence. With Raphinha and Yamal fit and firing, it is a huge ask for Inter to take a positive result back to Milan, so Ladbrokes is backing Barcelona to nick a hard-fought win in this opening leg.
Match Prediction: Barcelona 2-1 Inter Milan
Recent Form Overview
Barcelona
Barcelona finished second in the UCL league phase, and have since ousted Benfica and Dortmund to reach this stage, with Raphinha - the competition's top scorer - on fire. Their recent form includes a 3-2 win over Real Madrid in the Cope del Ray final, but a 3-1 Dortmund loss exposed some defensive frailties.
Last 5 matches (all competitions):
Win: 3-2 vs Real Madrid (Neutral ground) - Copa del Ray
Win: 1-0 vs Mallorca (H)
Win: 4-3 vs Celta Vigo (H)
Loss: 1-3 vs Borussia Dortmund (A) - UCL
Win: 1-0 vs Leganes (A)
Inter
Inter, who finished fourth in the league phase, edged Feyenoord and Bayern in previous rounds to reach their second semi-final in three years, but three straight defeats will have stung their confidence. The Italian giants chase Munich’s final as they hunt for a fourth Champions League title.
Last 5 matches (all competitions):
Loss: 0-1 vs Roma (H)
Loss: 0-3 vs Milan (H) - Coppa Italia
Loss: 0-1 vs Bologna (A)
Draw: 2-2 vs Bayern Munich (H) - UCL
Win: 3-1 vs Cagliari (H)
Tactical Breakdown
Barça’s 4-3-3 thrives on Frenkie de Jong’s tempo and Lamine Yamal’s wing wizardry, targeting Inter’s high line. Jules Koundé must shackle Lautaro Martínez, while Inter’s 3-5-2 counters with Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s deep playmaking and Denzel Dumfries’ overlaps.
Inter have endured set-piece woes this season, and Barca’s lethal attacking options could exploit this weakness. Inter’s press, led by Federico Dimarco, may disrupt Pedri, but Barcelona’s possession-based game will create chances, testing Yann Sommer in the Inter goal.
Head-to-Head Summary
Barca vs Italian Clubs: W32, D22, L13. The Catalan cub have won 20 of their last 32 home games vs Italian sides.
Inter vs Spanish Clubs: W16, D14, L24. Inter have lost 18 of their last 22 games away in Spain, with one draw.
UCL Runs: Barca beat Benfica and Dortmund to reach this stage, while Inter saw off Feyenoord and Bayern.
