In the highly anticipated UEFA Champions League semifinal, FC Barcelona is set to face Inter Milan on April 30, 2025. This match promises excitement as Barcelona comes off a recent victory in the Copa del Rey against their arch-rivals Real Madrid, which could bolster their confidence . However, Inter's resilience and tactical discipline present a formidable challenge. Despite being winless in their last three matches, Inter's defense remains a critical factor that could influence the game's outcome .
Barça come into this one full of confidence after pulling off a remarkable late comeback in El Clásico to take the first step towards a third men’s Treble in club history. The extra day of rest with this match taking place on Wednesday was crucial to try and recover as much as possible from a full-on battle against Los Blancos for 120 minutes, and Barça will need to show plenty of mental strength to get over the fatigue and still be close to their best for the visit of the Nerazzurri.
But Inter are also pretty fatigued themselves, with an old squad showing signs of real mental and physical exhaustion as they reach the end of a long season in which they’ve gone deep in every competition and don’t have many young players to count on. Simone Inzaghi has done a brilliant coaching job once again, but even he admits he’s worried about his team as they arrive at this semi-final on a three-game losing streak and having not scored from open play since April 12 against Cagliari.
Barcelona possible starting lineup: Szczesny; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Martin; De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Torres
Inter Milan possible starting lineup: Sommer; Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martinez, Thuram
After a period of decline, Barcelona, revitalized under Hansi Flick, captured their first major trophy of the season by defeating Real Madrid 3-2 in extra time of the Copa del Rey Final, reigniting their treble aspirations. While Robert Lewandowski's absence is a concern, Flick can rely on the in-form Ferran Torres and Fermin Lopez. Marc Andre Ter-Stegen's return provides another goalkeeping option, though Wojciech Szczesny remains in contention. Alejandro Balde, who missed the previous match, might be available for Wednesday's clash against Inter pending a late fitness assessment.
Inter, in stark contrast, saw their treble hopes dashed last week after being eliminated from the Coppa Italia by AC Milan and suffering two subsequent league defeats. Simeone Inzaghi's squad must now deliver a resilient performance in Barcelona to salvage their season. The potential absence of Marcus Thuram and Benjamin Pavard poses a significant challenge, with Thuram already sidelined and Pavard nursing an ankle injury. However, the return of Piotr Zielinski and Denzel Dumfries, who featured as substitutes in their recent loss to Roma, offers Inzaghi some respite.
With key players missing for both teams, Barcelona will likely be without star striker Robert Lewandowski due to injury. Conversely, there is potential for defender Alejandro Balde to return . Based on statistical analysis from Opta Analyst, Barcelona holds a favorable win probability of 55.2%, particularly given their unbeaten home record against Inter in past Champions League encounters . Fans can access live streams of the match through platforms like Paramount+ and TUDN .
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