Barcelona meet Inter Milan in the first leg of their 2024-25 UEFA Champions League semi-final.
Hansi Flick’s Catalonians survived a scare to beat Borussia Dortmund on aggregate in the Quarter-Finals, whilst Inter battled past Bayern Munich to reach this stage.
Team News
Barcelona will be without Alejandro Balde and Robert Lewandowski due to hamstring injuries, which saw the pair sit out Barcelona’s Copa del Rey title victory over Real Madrid.
Marc Bernal (ACL) and Marc Casado (knee) remain absent.
Inter Milan will be without defender, Benjamin Pavard after he suffered an ankle injury during their Serie A loss to AS Roma.
Marcus Thuram could return after he missed Inter’s last three matches with an adductor injury.
When is Kick-Off?
Barcelona host Inter at Nou Camp on Wednesday 30 April at 9pm CEST (8pm UK Time), live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Barcelona have avoided defeat in 10 of 12 previous Champions League meetings against Inter Milan (W6, D4, L2).
- Inter Milan have failed to win in six previous Champions League visits to Barcelona (D1, L5).
- Both Barcelona and Inter have scored in four of their last five Champions League meetings.
- Five of Barcelona’s last seven Champions League goals at home have been scored by Raphinha (3) and Lamine Yamal (2).
- Lautaro Martinez has scored in each of Inter Milan’s last three away games in the Champions League (W3).
Prediction
Unbeaten at home with an aggregate score of 21-4 in this season’s Champions League, Barcelona’s attack is definitely a menacing threat which will need to be nullified with a resiliently organised defensive effort such is their quality and danger even though Balde and Lewandowski won’t be involved.
Inter Milan might not possess the sharp attacking danger that Barcelona have but their defence is undoubtedly difficult to beat, having conceded just five goals in this season’s competition so I do think that their priority has to be to try and get this tie back to the San Siro in the balance ideally with a draw.
Lautaro Martinez though will be their best hope of at least getting a goal in this first leg but the Argentinean must be clinical, otherwise Inter’s away rut against Barcelona will surely continue if Raphinha and Yamal can’t be stopped.
Prediction: Barcelona 2-1 Inter Milan
Result: Barcelona 3-3 Inter Milan