but last week's Champions League semifinal first leg in Catalonia was nothing short of a frenzy Inter entered the tie with Barcelona as the underdogs, but some will now have the Italian champions listed as the favourites to advance after they earned a 3-3 draw at the Montjuic last week. This is a team that simply can't be written off in cup competitions, although another mammoth effort on home soil is required if they're to reach their third Champions League final of the century While their fallibility manifested last week we also saw the very best of Hansi Flick's Barca amid the back-and-forth melodrama The German's outfit are almost impossible to contain with the manager's emphasis upon verticality speed and 'diagonalism' rendering Barca a swashbuckling unit who are ever so watchable Purists are dreaming of a Barcelona vs PSG final but Inzaghi's Inter - and teams of the like - have proven to be the kryptonite of this Barca outfit a big challenge awaits this burgeoning Blaugrana team Here are three key battles the visitors must win at San Siro if they're to reach the showpiece event in Munich Inter's domination last week came as somewhat of a surprise given Barca's capacity to manage such situations but they undoubtedly missed the aerial abilities of Robert Lewandowski and Ronald Araujo - their box commander who came on for the second half exposed the flaws within Barca's zonal marking system with the imposing Dutchman having to beat playmaker Dani Olmo in the air to net Inter's third on the night While the hosts should have more of the game on Tuesday than they did in the first leg their set-piece count is likely to be low again (it was only two last week) Nullifying Inter's distinct dead-ball threat will be key for Barcelona who are better placed to deal with Hakan Calhanoglou's delivery at San Siro due to Lewandowski and Araujo's inclusions in Flick's XI space should open up for the Spaniard to work his subtle magic in and around the final third It was Pedri's cross which led to Barca's second goal last week Barella and Pedri's head-to-head duel will be fascinating but there are multiple standout performers in the middle of the park which will render the battle for central supremacy incredibly hard-fought Calhanoglu's passing range could compromise Barca's aggressive defensive line while Frenkie de Jong is playing his best football in years Robert Lewandowski is back for the second leg / IMAGO / NurPhotoWhile Inter are at home there's scope for the dynamic of the second leg to be similar to the first but Barcelona are more likely to enjoy prolonged spells of possession in the Inter half and dominate territorially.Inter are masters in the build-up phase but their transition from defence to attack can be rapid They're not a team that necessarily relies on sustained pressure to wear teams down with Barca likely to have much of the ball but there are few superior movers in the opposition's box than the veteran striker Space is likely to be a premium for the visitors in Inter's third on Tuesday but the returning Lewandowski has proven time and time again during a goal-laden 2024-25 season that he only requires an inch Flick's Barca are supreme central combiners but Lewandowski's inclusion could spark a more cross-heavy approach and the striker's ability to create a yard for himself in the box could prove key in turning half-chances into goals JAMES CORMACK Real Valladolid sit bottom and are already relegated That win for Barcelona lifts them seven points clear of second-placed Real Madrid If Real lose to Celta Vigo tomorrow then that could make next week's El Clasico very interesting with Barca having the chance to wrap up the La Liga title They've got a Champions League semi-final to play before that If you missed any of tonight's action you can read all about it by clicking the 'report' tab at the top of this page 151Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'It's going to be spectacular'published at 22:04 British Summer Time 3 May22:04 BST 3 MayFT: Real Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona speaking to DAZN after returning after more than seven months out injured: "I really wanted to play tonight and it is always better when you win We are keeping on a good run which is important Some big games coming up and its' going to be spectacular for us we hope "When you're 1-0 down it's always difficult in grounds like this Valladolid had nothing to lose so they were going to play hard On Hansi Flick rotating the squad: "He has found a good balance because he gives all of us the importance to be a part of the team Some play more some play less but we are all a team 172Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 22:00 British Summer Time 3 May22:00 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona but they get the job done and take all three points A valiant effort from already-relegated Real Valladolid but Barca's depth from the bench really helped them out there and it's Fermin Lopez's goal which proves the difference 223Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingFULL-TIMEpublished at 21:57 British Summer Time 3 May21:57 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona They go seven points clear at the top of La Liga 1066Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:56 British Summer Time 3 May21:56 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona 718Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:56 British Summer Time 3 May21:56 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona That would have been game over if Lamine Yamal had slotted home there but he cuts onto his left foot and Valladolid's defence recovers in time to block the teenager's strike Barcelona have another free-kick on the edge of the box 282Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:54 British Summer Time 3 May21:54 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona Raul Moro escapes behind the Barcelona backline and Marc-Andre ter Stegen has to race off his line to smother the ball and stop the attack 327Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:54 British Summer Time 3 May21:54 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona Ronald Araujo needed to be alert there to stop Mario Martin from having a clear shot at goal He protects Marc-Andre ter Stegen and wins the foul 180Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:52 British Summer Time 3 May21:52 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona 157Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingCLOSE!published at 21:52 British Summer Time 3 May21:52 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona Dani Olmo goes flying to the floor in the box but the referee says Mario Martin caught him outside of the penalty area Raphinha lets fly and the ball fizzes an inch or two over the crossbar 611Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:49 British Summer Time 3 May21:49 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona It looked like Raphinha was lining up to take that free-kick but it's Dani Olmo who has a go and forces Andre Ferreira into a diving save 216Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:48 British Summer Time 3 May21:48 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona It's a real joy to watch Lamine Yamal play football The 17-year-old makes it look so easy as he skips past a trio of Valladolid players 5610Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingSUBSTITUTIONpublished at 21:46 British Summer Time 3 May21:46 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona Mario Martin is on for Stanki Juric in midfield 52Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:45 British Summer Time 3 May21:45 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona who we thought was shown a yellow card earlier goes in the book for dragging down a Valladolid attacker It turns out it was Valladolid's Mamadou Sylla - not Araujo - who was shown a yellow in the first half 111Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:43 British Summer Time 3 May21:43 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona We're into the final 10 minutes of normal time I'm sure this scoreline is a little too tight for Barcelona's liking 132Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:41 British Summer Time 3 May21:41 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona Lamine Yamal can't believe he hasn't scored His strike has been cleared off the line brilliantly by Antonio Candela 249Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingSUBSTITUTIONpublished at 21:40 British Summer Time 3 May21:40 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona who has pulled up with a tight hamstring and is receiving medical attention 811Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:37 British Summer Time 3 May21:37 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona Real Valladolid might already be relegated but they're giving this a real good go with some rapid counter-attacks 1117Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:35 British Summer Time 3 May21:35 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona That's a HUGE save from Marc-Andre ter Stegen to deny Juanmi Latasa Lighting-fast reactions from the German keeper who is making his first appearances in seven months 295Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingSUBSTITUTIONpublished at 21:34 British Summer Time 3 May21:34 BST 3 MayReal Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona A double change from Valladolid boss Alvaro Rubio 75Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingprevious pagePage 1 of 4123…4next pageImage source Fermin Lopez has scored four goals in La Liga this season Barcelona came from behind to beat Real Valladolid and pull seven points clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga Substitute Raphinha and Fermin Lopez scored in the space of six second-half minutes after Ivan Sanchez had given Valladolid a surprise early lead at Estadio Jose Zorrilla Hansi Flick sent out a weakened side, making nine changes to the line-up that drew 3-3 with Inter Milan in the first-leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday, with Tuesday's second-leg in Italy on his mind. Sanchez scored with a heavily-deflected shot from a tight angle, but that was as good as it got for the already-relegated Valladolid. Despite trailing, Barcelona were dominant throughout and the introduction of Lamine Yamal on 38 minutes, replacing injured debutant Dani Rodriguez, took them up another level. Raphinha's 16th La Liga goal of the season, a drilled shot from the edge of the area, sparked the comeback before Lopez swept home to put the league leaders in front. Right-back Hector Fort was denied by the base of the post as Barcelona pushed for a third, while Yamal saw an effort cleared off the line. Barcelona are unbeaten in 15 league outings, winning 13, and have won 17 of their past 19 against Valladolid. Real Madrid, who travel to Barcelona on 11 May, have the opportunity to close the gap at the top of the table to four points when they host Celta Vigo at 13:00 BST on Sunday. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made substituted for Chuky at 72 minutesNumber 20 substituted for Mario Martín at 85 minutesNumber 10 Yellow Card at 7 minutesJuanmi Latasa 64' substituted for Juanmi Latasa at 64 minutesSubstituteshome team substituted for Juanmi Latasa at 64 minutesSubstitutesNumber 8 substituted for Eric García at 79 minutesNumber 8 substituted for Raphinha at 46 minutesNumber 16 substituted for Lamine Yamal at 38 minutesNumber 18 substituted for Dani Olmo at 62 minutesSubstitutesNumber 2 de Jong Match OfficialsReferee: Alejandro Muñiz RuizVideo Assistant Referee: Daniel Jesús Trujillo SuárezAssistant Referee 1: Diego Sánchez RojoAssistant Referee 2: Fabián Blanco RodríguezFourth Official: Carlos Fernández BuergoAssistant VAR Official: Valentín Pizarro GómezMatch StatsKey Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Real Valladolid took the lead six minutes into the match when Iván Sánchez's shot took an awkward deflection off Ronald Araújo that Marc-André ter Stegen misjudged showing clear signs of rust after a seven plus month absence Hansi Flick made nine changes to the lineup that started the first leg of the Champions League semifinals vs. Inter Milan on Wednesday Dani Rodríguez made his Barça first team debut but suffered a right arm injury that forced Flick to bring on Lamine Yamal just before halftime Flick turned to his bench again and introduced Raphinha It didn't take long for the Brazilian to make his presence felt as he pounced on a rebound from a Yamal cross that André Ferreira tried to clear and tucked in Barça's equalizer in the 54th minute Gerard Martín sent in a deadly low cross from the left wing that Fermín López emphatically fired into the back of the net to complete yet another Barcelona comeback The Catalans cruised to the finish line but not before losing another player to injury with Gavi asking for his substitution whilst grabbing his hamstring 10 minutes from the final whistle ROBERTO CASILLASRoberto Casillas is a Sports Illustrated Soccer freelance writer covering Liga MX, the Mexican National Team & Latin American players in Europe. He is a die hard Cruz Azul and Chelsea fan. Barça have 79 points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, who host Celta Vigo on Sunday Hansi Flick's side next visit Inter Milan in the second leg of their Champions League semifinal on Tuesday after a 3-3 draw in midweek The Germany international was making his return after a seven-month injury absence, though Flick later confirmed that Wojciech Szczesny would return in goal against Inter and in the week's Clásico with Real Madrid "I was really looking forward to playing this game and it's always better when you win," Ter Stegen told DAZN "Now we look forward to the next few weeks We have some big games coming up which are going to be nice for everyone Barcelona's attempts to respond to going a goal down before the break were thwarted by André Ferreira's fine goalkeeping, with the Portuguese denying Ansu Fati and Lopez as the visitors struggled for rhythm The match was briefly halted when 19-year-old debutant Dani Rodríguez required medical attention before being replaced by Lamine Yamal Barcelona also lost midfielder Gavi to injury in the second half though it looked to be a far less serious issue "I think Gavi is OK," Flick told reporters He showed what I see in training in the game We will take care about him and if he's back Flick's men found their groove after the interval, though, with substitute Raphinha curling a delightful half-volley into the bottom corner in the 54th minute after Ferreira parried Yamal's cross Lopez completed the turnaround on the hour mark, firing home from distance after a clinical pass from Gerard Martín They went in search of a third, with Hector Fort hitting the post after a quick counter-attack and Yamal's shot brilliantly cleared off the line by defender Antonio Candela with Ter Stegen denying substitute Juanmi Latasa while Moro went close in the dying minutes it's not easy for these guys who came in," Flick said I have the highest confidence in my players Information from Reuters and ESPN's Sam Marsden was used in this report Barcelona extended the gap atop LaLiga to seven points with a 2-1 comeback win at relegated Real Valladolid on Saturday thanks to second-half strikes by Raphinha and Fermin Lopez Barça have 79 points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, who host Celta Vigo on Sunday The Germany international was making his return after a seven-month injury absence, though Flick later confirmed that Wojciech Szczesny would return in goal against Inter and in the week's Clásico with Real Madrid \"I was really looking forward to playing this game and it's always better when you win,\" Ter Stegen told DAZN \"Now we look forward to the next few weeks Barcelona's attempts to respond to going a goal down before the break were thwarted by André Ferreira's fine goalkeeping, with the Portuguese denying Ansu Fati and Lopez as the visitors struggled for rhythm The match was briefly halted when 19-year-old debutant Dani Rodríguez required medical attention before being replaced by Lamine Yamal \"I think Gavi is OK,\" Flick told reporters Flick's men found their groove after the interval, though, with substitute Raphinha curling a delightful half-volley into the bottom corner in the 54th minute after Ferreira parried Yamal's cross Lopez completed the turnaround on the hour mark, firing home from distance after a clinical pass from Gerard Martín They went in search of a third, with Hector Fort hitting the post after a quick counter-attack and Yamal's shot brilliantly cleared off the line by defender Antonio Candela it's not easy for these guys who came in,\" Flick said Barcelona hand trial to teenage Brazilian midfield prospect RFEF president opens up on Dani Olmo registration case – ‘A top professional’ Inter Milan to build ‘defensive cage’ around Barcelona’s most dangerous player Three things Barcelona must do to beat Inter Milan Ferran start in a 4-2-3-1 – How Barcelona can line up against Inter Milan How Real Madrid attempted a football robbery — but were stopped by FC Barcelona Ferran start in a 4-2-3-1 – How Barcelona can line up against Real Madrid Olmo start in a 4-2-3-1 – How Barcelona can line up against Mallorca Three talking points ahead of Inter Milan vs Barcelona | UEFA Champions League Three talking points from Real Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona | La Liga Raphinha 8.5 | Real Valladolid 1-2 Barcelona: Player ratings Three talking points ahead of Real Valladolid vs Barcelona | La Liga GW 34 Three talking points from Barcelona 3-3 Inter Milan Three key battles that could decide Barcelona vs Borussia Dortmund Mbappe arrived but Barcelona evolved: Flick’s tactical triumph over Real Madrid’s Galactico attack Robert Lewandowski – Barcelona’s ageless goal machine leading the title charge Beyond transfers: Deco’s blueprint for Barcelona’s long-term success Back at the top: Pedri reclaims his throne as the best midfielder in the world Marc Casado: Barcelona’s next great pivot Ranking all 15 La Masia talents that made their Barcelona debut under Xavi Barcelona talented La Masia graduate’s market value rises to €75 million Barcelona delighted with the progress of 15-year-old La Masia talent – report ‘La Masia is the essence of Barça’ – Barcelona academy gem reacts after La Liga debut Deco wants to build Barcelona’s future with La Masia Barcelona are once again showing serious interest in Mallorca’s rising star Marc Domenech, as reported by SPORT already making waves with his performances could cost the Catalan giants around €4 million if they choose to move now that fee is likely to rise in the near future It must be noted that Barcelona had already made an attempt to sign Domenech last summer but the deal did not go through despite Barça offering over half a million plus bonuses showing real promise both physically and in front of goal He has even earned minutes with Mallorca’s senior team Adding to the mix is a recent change in representation Domenech has signed with renowned agent Pini Zahavi Zahavi represents big names like Robert Lewandowski and Hansi Flick which could make negotiations smoother for the Catalans Domenech’s release clause stands at €4 million His current contract is structured progressively: he earns just €33,000 per year as a youth player but if he reaches the third year of his five-year deal he will be upgraded to a professional contract That will include a big raise to €300,000 per year and a significant hike in his release clause — taking it up to €10 million That gives Barcelona a small window to move for the striker without overpaying Known as one of the brightest young talents in the Mallorca academy Domenech has all the attributes Barça are looking for but whether the Blaugrana make a move for him or not remains to be seen Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Achievements • Privacy Policy • Cookie Policy • Licensed Images • Copyright © 2017 - 2024 Barca Universal - info@barcauniversal.com Inter boss Simone Inzaghi has warned Lamine Yamal that he’ll be a marked man when his side come up against Barcelona in the Champions League Yamal ran rings around Inter in the first leg, leaving manager Inzaghi admitting they had to put three players on the youngster Inzaghi was asked about the teenager at his pre-match press conference and offered some insight into how his team will deal with the threat offered by the youngster “We have to try to keep the ball from getting to him and we’ll try to pay close attention to him truly very dangerous — everyone gives him the ball What impressed me was his speed of thought; he always knows what play to make.” Alessandro Bastoni was also quizzed about Yamal and revealed just how impressed he was by the 17-year-old in the first leg “He is the strongest I have ever played against. I was impressed by the level he has reached, in terms of ability to create chances he is the best,” he said via Di Marzio We will have to do as we did in the first leg Barcelona and Inter shared six goals in a thrilling first leg and fans will be hoping for plenty more entertainment on Tuesday night GOAL US writers discuss the Champions League semis whether Yamal and Raphinha can carry Barca You couldn't have asked for a better duo of first leg ties in the Champions League semifinals. Arsenal and PSG delivered a game full of quality that simmered ahead of what should be a more expansive return fixture Barcelona and Inter, meanwhile, was total chaos, brilliant soccer back-to-front, with no room to breathe and no team able to take much from it other than "Lamine Yamal is good." But Raphinha isn't bad either and Barca showed they can stay alive with the mercurial Ferran Torres up front And it all sets up everything nicely this week which is pretty much the antithesis of the way manager Mikel Arteta views this game Inter and Barca might not know what the hell to do other than remind the world that yes but a draw with Bologna over the weekend left them ever-so-slightly vulnerable ahead of the last few fixtures It now becomes a question of holding on. Oh, and then there's Milan, who have the Coppa Italia final to look forward to, but their league form has been generally woeful. Even with a 2-1 win over Genoa on Monday GOAL US writers look at the Champions League semis and the final weeks of Serie A in the latest edition of.. Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker It was a look more associated with the Met Gala or the Oscars red carpet than the dugout of a professional football game But when managing his Ecuadorian top-flight club Barcelona SC The 42-year-old went viral in March after wearing striking tuxedos on the touchline for two of his team’s high-profile games in the Copa Libertadores South America’s version of Europe’s UEFA Champions League a former midfielder for Ecuador who also had club spells on loan at Premier League sides Everton and Wolves chose white for the 3-0 win over Brazilian team Corinthians last month then bright pink for a 0-0 draw with Argentinian side River Plate on April 9 he wore a tight-fitted waistcoat and flat cap and another ensemble that matched shiny silver shoes with his tie Although Castillo’s fashion sense has made global headlines it has not proven a distraction for his players have made a fine start to the new season and are level on points with Independiente del Valle at the top of the league having won seven of their nine games so far “Ecuador is still a conservative environment,” says Esteban Avila a journalist for La Radio Redonda and Marca90 His tendency to wear such striking clothing has revolutionised Ecuadorian football.” Castillo has said his sartorial choices are chiefly to make his players smile and relieve tension ahead of big games in the club’s centennial season But his refined ensembles have won approval far beyond the Barcelona players and fans “A look so elegant and out of the ordinary — no coach had ever shown off such a suit in the history of football,” wrote Giacomo Arico in Vogue Italia last month “It captured the eyes not only of the spectators at the stadium but of the entire world with the shots of his suit that are currently doing the rounds on the web “A style choice that coincides perfectly with the ‘Black Dandy’ theme of the next Met Gala 2025.” Whether or not Castillo intended to match the Met’s forthcoming theme or not his psychological motivation could be effective a senior lecturer in fashion design at Manchester Metropolitan University believes seeing the manager so dazzlingly turned out could have the intended impact on his team “The clothes we select and wear form part of our overall identity along with things like hairstyle “It is a curatorial process about that outward projection of identity which he speaks to when referencing dressing for his team: to make them smile you can make people smile with clothing in different ways; he could have dressed as a clown which is normally considered formal-occasion wear “It’s not exactly the working-class roots of football He says the players know they are being looked after when they see him in these suits and maybe he means they see that he is taking everything seriously — right up to dressing so formally as opposed to turning up in a tracksuit “If he appears as someone who takes his clothing seriously and with pride He is clearly confident and comfortable enough to do that He has made himself stand apart from other managers.” Castillo’s love of fashion was also influenced by his time as a player in Europe where he first played for Serbia’s Crvena Zvezda before loan moves in England In an interview with Forbes Ecuador Castillo recalled team-mates with Louis Vuitton luggage and how players could be “extravagant” with “the financial means to buy them” Castillo prefers shorts or casual wear most of the time; the weather in Guayaquil Ecuador’s largest city where Barcelona are based can reach highs of 32C (89.6F) in April and is warm and humid throughout the year “I try to look good at LigaPro games,“ Castillo told Forbes we had a lot of activities with the team owners and we always had to be well-dressed or wear the suits the club made us for special events or matches I think you have to live up to the tournament you’re playing in I have to give them that presence and make them feel like their coach is OK “That’s important to relieve them of some of the tension “I didn’t do it with the intention of it becoming so popular.” Collins is not surprised that the manager’s style has been popular with his players “I don’t know whether there’s an element of in-joking within the club but the team clearly respects him,” she says “It’s not like they’re thinking: ‘What on earth is the manager wearing?’ it’s showing he will express himself freely and doesn’t feel he needs to conform to the norm Maybe that’s also the message he wants to give his players on the pitch.” the game can be a welcome distraction from daily life The rise of criminal gangs has made the country one of the most violent in South America its president Daniel Noboa won the run-off round of the nation’s election on a ticket to continue his tough military crackdown on the gangs with Noboa’s rival Luisa Gonzalez subsequently refusing to recognise his victory Castillo’s star turn has made positive headlines especially with the manager already a national hero from his playing days “As a central midfielder (Castillo’s nickname was ‘El Mortero’ Segundo was one of the best in Ecuadorian football history,” says Avila “He embodies the identity of Ecuadorian football with his physical strength “It’s too early to evaluate him as a manager But his team are practical with a strong emphasis on the physical conditioning of players “He faces a challenging path because Barcelona is his first coaching role and Ecuadorian professionals often have limited opportunities There has been a preference for foreign coaches.” Barcelona might be glad they bucked the trend The club are selling T-shirts based on the manager’s suits designed to incorporate the silhouette of a tuxedo with the tagline ‘Calle Pero Elegante’ — BSCstore (@BSCSTOREoficial) March 31, 2025 and Avila says his willingness to embrace the attention has only “amplified” the attention Barcelona receives as Ecuador’s biggest club It is also a boost for the retailers of Guayaquil Castillo told Forbes his white tuxedo was made by a tailor from the city’s Sauces 8 neighbourhood and cost US$400 (£301) While his closet features designer names such as Gucci The man Avila describes as “cordial” and “respectful” and who played barefoot during his childhood in the port town of San Lorenzo is happiest that his clothes give Barcelona’s players joy Barcelona are next in Copa Libertadores action on Thursday night against River Plate they remain hopeful of progressing to the knockout phase Castillo’s wardrobe will continue to match the occasion Barcelona and Real Madrid are pulling away from Atlético Madrid in the La Liga title race Atlético Madrid saw themselves fall out of the title race Diego Simeone's men have dropped points in five of their last eight league matches most recently against Alavés in a goalless draw Here's how the remaining four league games of the La Liga title contenders look like Then, Barcelona are headed to RCDE Stadium to take on Espanyol. Although Manolo González's men managed to defeat Real Madrid back in February they have not walked away with a victory against Barcelona in over seven years Villarreal should also give Hansi Flick's squad little problems considering they conceded five goals the last time they faced Barcelona the biggest test remaining for Barcelona are Athletic Bilbao Los Leones have the attacking firepower to give the Catalans' depleted backline some trouble but the match might not matter in the end; after all it is highly possible Barcelona will have already won La Liga ahead of the final matchday Real Madrid are keeping the pressure on Barcelona in the La Liga title race. / IMAGO/Guillermo MartinezDespite their stumbles in the Champions League and the Copa del Rey Real Madrid have won their last four La Liga matches to keep the pressure on Barcelona atop the table Los Blancos must continue their winning streak and take home all three points in El Clásico Real Madrid will like their odds against their remaining three opponents Not only did Los Blancos previously defeat Mallorca 3–0 in the Spanish Super Cup semifinals in January but they also put four goals past Sevilla the month prior have just one victory over Real Madrid across all competitions in the last five years if Real Madrid cannot defeat Barcelona on May 11 then their final three matches will likely not matter in the grand scheme of the La Liga title race Julián Alvarez's impressive debut La Liga campaign might not be enough to help Atlético Madrid top the league / IMAGO/Maciej RogowskiAtlético Madrid's La Liga title hopes have vanished over the last two months Even if Simeone's men win their remaining four matches they have virtually no chance at winning La Liga if Barcelona record even a point against Real Madrid next week Atlético Madrid are mathematically eliminated from the title race Los Colchoneros will still want to put together a strong end to the season ahead of this summer's FIFA Club World Cup Atlético Madrid will need better performances from Julián Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann if they want to make it past Real Sociedad and Osasuna especially since the former held Simeone's men to a 1–1 draw earlier in the season Real Betis pose an even bigger threat to Atlético Madrid; after all both Barcelona and Real Madrid dropped points against Ernesto Valverde's squad in the last two months When Los Colchoneros make the trip to Girona a week later the end result will likely be nothing more than a consolation prize should they collect all three points on the final matchday of the season AMANDA LANGELLAmanda Langell is a Sports Illustrated Soccer freelance writer covering the European game and international competitions. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Barcelona and Inter Milan delivered a six-goal thriller in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal and now head to Italy with promises of more The 3-3 draw in Spain saw a goal in the first minute and action from front-to-back that included a tour de force performance from Barca teen phenom Lamine Yamal That leg happened without Robert Lewandowski but with a home crowd and Inter Milan will fancy their chances of using the Italian atmosphere as a boost into a second Champions league final in three years Only six teams have won four-or-more European Cups and Inter would love to become the seventh meanwhile want to become just the third team to claim six For live updates and highlights throughout Inter Milan vs Barcelona Kick off time: 3pm ET Tuesday (May 6)Venue: San Siro — MilanTV Channel: PeacockStreaming: Stream live on Peacock It was a heavily-changed Inter that beat Verona 1-0 on Saturday at the San Siro They are without Valentin Carboni and almost certainly set to miss Lautaro Martinez and Benjamin Pavard Barca rotated heavily at Valladolid and went down early needing some of its stars to come off the bench and deliver all three points Robert Lewandowski looks set to return but Jules Kounde Of course anything could happen and San Siro will be a cauldron but Lewandowski’s return really feels like a tipping point A Division of NBCUniversal. DISCLAIMER: This site and the products offered are for entertainment purposes only, and there is no gambling offered on this site. This service is intended for adult audiences. No guarantees are made for any specific outcome. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please call 1-800-GAMBLER. The 3-3 tie in the first leg left everything on the line for the Italian game and the environment only adds to the stakes All indications point to yet another humongous game to unfold Barcelona and Inter Milan meet this Tuesday in San Siro with a common goal: reaching the Champions League final Barcelona are seeking to return to a Champions League final almost a decade later the Catalan giants have been piling up disappointments in the competition they get their chance to rewrite that script They've already won the Copa del Rey and they're leading LaLiga But it's the Champions League that could make the season something special with a treble The twist is that there is no magic trinity this season What they have in their place is an even squad talent spread around and an ensemble which has learned how to endure Barcelona struggled twice to turn around and for a 3-3 tie with all the Polish striker is the team's leading scorer this season And he might be exactly what was missing in the first leg: a finisher for decisive moments On the other side, Inter wants to repeat the path to the final The loss to Guardiola's Manchester City still hurts even without the same media fanfare as the opponent And they have enough class to meet on equal terms The Argentine got injured with a thigh strain and won't probably return in time Inter lacks a crucial piece for the selection It will be the coach's job to compensate This will be the 18th meeting in a major European competition between Inter and Barcelona Inter are the only three pairings that have been played more than this many times Each of their last two meetings against one another was 3-3 in the October 2022 Champions League match and in the first leg of this semifinal Barcelona have won just one of their six away games in the UEFA Champions League against Inter (three draws and two losses) Barcelona have won just five of their 24 away games in Italy (21%) the lowest win rate among all the non-Spanish nations they've played in the competition And they know how to take advantage of the surroundings and maturity to be able to handle the game Especially after having conceded three goals at home and the midfield must perform better in defense But Barcelona heads into the second leg with the Champions League's top-scoring attack: 40 goals to date It's the most by a side in a campaign since Bayern Munich in 2019/20 (43) Only Barcelona themselves in 1999/2000 (45) and Liverpool in 2017/18 have previously scored more than 40 goals in a season © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands Barcelona are seeking to return to a Champions League final almost a decade later On the other side, Inter wants to repeat the path to the final A semifinal second leg at San Siro brings two European giants face to face with legacy pressure and the weight of everything they haven’t yet conquered playFlick: Yamal has to stay calm to reach the level of Messi & Ronaldo (0:39)Hansi Flick praises Lamine Yamal and speaks about his development Lewandowski, 36, has missed Barça's last four games with the problem, including the Copa del Rey final win against Real Madrid and the first leg against Inter The Poland striker has subsequently been included in Barça's squad for this week's match at San Siro Robert Lewandowski has been named in Barcelona's squad to face Inter on Tuesday. Alex Caparros/Getty ImagesHowever, left-back Alejandro Balde has not recovered in time and will not feature against Inter The defender injured his hamstring on April 12 and there was initially hope he would return for the tie against the Serie A champions, but he will now focus on being ready for Sunday's LaLiga Clásico against Real Madrid instead Barça coach Hansi Flick said Lewandowski would start the game on the bench "Everything goes in the right way," Flick said in a news conference regarding Lewandowski's fitness Flick also called on his players to go out an enjoy the occasion against Inter, reminding people that no one expected Barça to be in this position at the start of the season, fighting for a treble, and echoing comments from midfielder Dani Olmo that the atmosphere in the dressing room is "like a party." "Do you think I have to make pressure on [the players]?" Flick added no one had any idea what we achieved until now Now we win two titles already [the Spanish Supercopa and the Copa del Rey] "Now we have important weeks, important matches to win two more [LaLiga and the Champions League] Barça are aware of the challenge that awaits them against Inter They trailed 2-0 and 3-2 at home last week and struggled to deal with the threat of Simone Inzaghi's side from set plays "The set pieces we have to defend much better," Flick said Barça will also be without their right sided full-back in Italy, with Jules Koundé absent with a hamstring issue picked up in last week's first leg against Inter Last week's first leg ended in a 3-3 draw at the Olympic Stadium, leaving everything to play for when the teams meet again on Tuesday for a place in the final against either Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal in Munich on May 31 A madcap Champions League semi-final first leg between Barcelona and Inter was delicately poised at 3-3 when we caught a glimpse of the fine margins behind the Catalans’ success this season right-back Denzel Dumfries produced a perfect cross from the right-hand side across Barca’s defensive line Henrikh Mkhitaryan tapped home to give Inter what looked like a slender advantage to take back to Milan — if only the former Manchester United and Arsenal attacking midfielder had smaller feet Uefa’s semi-automated offside system showed Mkhitaryan was offside by a hair’s breadth That might have seemed like an incredibly lucky escape from Barcelona — but if you have followed Hansi Flick’s team this season disallowed goals and extremely tight offsides have been a theme as Flick has imposed a radically high defensive line It is not an approach you will have seen at any other top European side this season — at least not to that extent And why do they have no intention of modifying that style before the second leg in Italy tomorrow Flick has instilled an intense counter-pressing system where Barca’s players push up so that they practically go man-to-man with their opposite numbers It is not uncommon to see their defenders trying to win the ball back in the opposition box Every single player must step forward to make the press effective meaning the defensive line is extremely high and a tremendous amount of space is left between them and their goalkeeper Barcelona’s average defensive line — denoted by the average height of the offside provoked — is the highest it has been for the past four seasons An average increase of three metres might not sound like much but when the margins are as tight as they are Every approach to the game has its pros and cons, but with Flick’s pressing the risks are especially high — if players get it wrong, spaces open up and goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is forced to sweep up at the back something that can be tough to read in-game Szczesny has averaged 3.3 sweeper actions — denoted as a defensive action outside the penalty area — per game This is higher than any other La Liga goalkeeper this season whose average of 5.9 sweeper actions per game represents an eye-watering figure in his 15 league games played Barcelona have caught their opponents offside 164 times more than any team across Europe’s big five leagues Parma of Serie A are in second place with 112 while fellow La Liga side Las Palmas are third with 92 If you narrow that down to the Champions League Barca have drawn 73 offsides in 13 matches more than double second-placed Aston Villa’s 34 and Liverpool in third with 31 It is a style that regularly leads to Barca playing on the edge A standout example was a goal scored by Harry Kane that was ruled offside in Barca’s 4-1 win against Bayern Munich in October Kane headed in a Thomas Muller cross which would have levelled the game at 1-1 but the semi-automated system spotted Kane was offside by the tip of his knee and boot There was another equally tight situation in the Barcelona derby against Espanyol in November The visitors to Montjuic were outplayed and lost 3-1 but saw two goals disallowed — one after right-back Omar El Hilali was caught marginally off but it pays off for them,” Inter manager Simone Inzaghi said after last week’s first leg have already won two titles this season (the Supercopa de Espana and the Copa del Rey) and are competing for two more trophies.” The approach is more difficult to sustain against elite European sides when players’ individual talents increase the risks The Mkhitaryan ‘goal’ was a prime example of what can happen when players switch off for a second but Flick has put a lot of work into ensuring his side trust they are doing the right thing “We were surprised by the radical approach Flick showed us since pre-season,” Pena said during a December press conference he made it very clear he wanted to defend in the opposite half of the pitch It’s a risky approach — you need to be 100 per cent focused — but you get progressively convinced by that.” Frenkie de Jong also spoke about their bold approach after the 3-3 draw against Inter: “For me it’s nice to play like that,” the Netherlands midfielder said but in the end it has provided us some good rewards and hopefully it gets us to the Champions League final.” There is no better example of a player following Flick’s philosophy than Inigo Martinez The 33-year-old centre-back faced an uncertain future last summer and the club were open to selling him but Barca’s new German coach convinced him to stay as he told the Spaniard he could become an important role model “Inigo is a player that normally has defended a bit deeper throughout his career,” Flick said three weeks ago the level he is showing… It’s unbelievable For me he is one of our key players this season because he is an absolute leader on the pitch but also in the dressing room.” This is an example from last week showing how important Martinez has been leading the line Dumfries rises to receive a long ball from goalkeeper Yann Sommer Martinez is then Barcelona’s last man in defence but Martinez has already stepped up to leave the closest Inter player to the action A similar situation took place in the league game Barca played away against Atletico Madrid two months ago Martinez sees Giuliano Simeone run in behind and Julian Alvarez ready to launch the pass Martinez had read the move to leave Simeone offside It is not just in defence that the high line has an impact — it has also helped Barca produce outstanding attacking statistics this season They are the top goalscoring team across the big five European leagues with 160 goals in 55 games across all competitions Barca have won possession in the attacking third 5.4 times per 90 minutes in La Liga this season — the highest rate in the league which tightens space between the lines and allows them to initiate the counter-press as soon as they lose the ball 38 have led to a shot on goal and five have led to goals opposition teams struggled to figure out Barca’s high line without being caught offside Barca scored 37 goals in the first 11 games of the season The prime example was Barcelona’s 4-0 demolition of Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in October Madrid were caught offside 12 times and Kylian Mbappe was responsible for eight of those — the most in a game in his career Celta Vigo were not caught offside once when they played Barca three weeks ago with striker Borja Iglesias thriving off well-timed runs in behind the defence (Celta lost 4-3 after a late Barca comeback) Real Betis also managed zero offsides against Barca when they drew 2-2 with them in December Inter were caught offside five times at Montjuic But Inzaghi’s team showed ways they could disarm Barca’s pressing and exploit their high line was launched by a quick switch of play to wing-back Dumfries Inter managed to evade the first line of Barca’s press and Dumfries had a free channel to run into Hurting Barca’s high line with quick changes of play was also Bayern Munich’s plan when they visited in October The goal scored by Kane is a textbook example of how to punish Flick’s system Barca’s main role in defence is to keep their structure tight and narrow to have as many players as possible close to the ball But Kim knows Michael Olise is making the pitch wider for Bayern on the right hand-side and Barca’s defence have to readjust towards the other side with Serge Gnabry waiting for the ball behind Jules Kounde dashes into the box and crosses for Kane to equalise We have also seen Borussia Dortmund breaking down Barca’s defence in a different way — deep runs in the Champions League league-phase game between both teams After a quick recovery from right-back Yan Couto he looks for team-mates making runs in behind Attacking midfielder Pascal Gross starts his run from deep Striker Serhou Guirassy and Marcel Sabitzer are offside but attract the attention of Barca’s centre-backs Gross breaks through the lines before setting up Guirassy for an open goal So will Barca be wary of what could happen with the high line in the second leg in Milan “We are not going to back down on our plan — in fact I’d say the opposite,” a source on Barca’s backroom staff who asked to remain anonymous to speak freely That is the approach that means Barcelona are challenging for a treble for the first time since 2015 Stepping away from it at this point would make little sense In his pre-match press conference on Monday Flick said: “We want to defend much better we’ll change something from the first leg.” This squad’s fitness levels are worth bearing in mind Barca’s players are exhausted and some are unavailable Key defensive players such as Balde and Kounde have sustained injuries Barcelona confirmed that both will miss Tuesday’s clash Kounde is expected to be replaced by Eric Garcia at right-back while Gerard Martin or Martinez will play at left-back instead of Balde The first leg against Inter and the extra-time Copa del Rey final win against Real Madrid showed a Barca team who have struggled to maintain intensity in the second half of games Pedri has not been able to complete 90 minutes in his last four games Martinez has been forced to play left-back at times Even Pau Cubarsi needed to be replaced in the semi-final first leg With a second leg in Milan that could go to extra time if there is no winner in 90 minutes (Top photo: Inigo Martinez by Jose Luis Contreras/Dax Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images) A chaotic first leg in Catalonia required the hosts to fight back on two occasions Hansi Flick's side were stunned by two early Inter goals and when it looked like they'd take control of the tie after restoring parity Denzel Dumfries struck again from a set-piece to put Inter 3-2 up A 3-3 draw leaves the tie in the balance, with Barca requiring a stellar display in Italy to reach their first Champions League final in a decade Flick rotated heavily for Barca's domestic victory over Real Valladolid at the weekend and here's the lineup he could pick for Tuesday's second leg Lamine Yamal was outstanding in the first leg / IMAGO / XinhuaGK: Wojciech Szczesny–– Marc-Andre ter Stegen is back for Barcelona after spending months on the sidelines but Flick could retain his faith in veteran shot-stopper Szczesny for the second leg RB: Eric Garcia–– Jules Kounde has been a constant for the Blaugrana this season but he'll miss out on Tuesday due to a hamstring injury Barca aren't blessed with natural replacements but Garcia came on for the Frenchman last week CB: Ronald Araujo–– The Catalonians missed Araujo's aerial ability in the first leg The defender's inclusion is necessary in Milan CB: Pau Cubarsi–– The young defender didn't feature at all on Saturday so he'll be pretty fresh for the return leg in Milan LB: Inigo Martinez–– Martinez isn't the ideal solution at left-back with Alejandro Balde still out Flick should trust the veteran over underwhelming La Masia starlets Gerard Martin and Hector Fort He's got a better chance of containing Dumfries CM: Pedri–– Flick opted to start Pedri on Saturday but the Spaniard fortunately came out of the contest unscathed he'll do battle with the indefatigable Nicolo Barella again on Tuesday CM: Frenkie de Jong–– A regular during the second half of the season De Jong is a sure bet to start alongside Pedri in Milan has a big role to play in containing Inter's slick attacking transitions RW: Lamine Yamal–– Was last Wednesday the night Lamine Yamal announced himself to the world? Obviously not, but the 17-year-old took the first leg by the scruff of the neck and single-handedly got Barca back into the tie. Inter must make a concerted effort to slow him down AM: Dani Olmo–– Fermin Lopez was the match-winner at Valladolid but Olmo will likely be preferred in Flick's team on Tuesday LW: Raphinha–– The Brazilian was relatively subdued in the first leg but as has so often been the case this season His wicked strike from distance led to Yann Sommer's own goal which means the tie is all-square heading to Milan ST: Robert Lewandowski–– Lewandowski has spent a month on the sidelines but has been included in the travelling squad to Italy the striker is a sure bet to start over Ferran Torres Simone Inzaghi dreamed of a quadruple but European success is now the Nerazzurri’s best chance of silverware their first-choice boss Simone Inzaghi was technically suspended but seeing his assistant Massimiliano Farris trot out for the pre-game interview only reinforced a feeling that we were not about to watch the real thing The replacements performed their duties just fine Inter won an early penalty after Nicolás Valentini blocked Marko Arnautovic’s flick with his arm Kristjan Asllani converted in the ninth minute and Inter’s second string lacked the craft to carve out further chances but they made sure a limited Verona never saw the ball long enough to create a threat a welcome result for Inter after their catastrophic end to April – even if it might feel like too little Napoli had already won away at Lecce on Saturday retaining their three-point buffer at the top with three games left Thank you for your feedback.At full time, one journalist asked Farris whether some people might consider this a negative season for Inter even if they win the Champions League He responded that he would probably just give a person like that a polite smile leaving us to imagine the rejoinder he might have wished to add: “because a person who thinks that is obviously bonkers” As much as Inter wanted, and believed they could, win every competition they entered this season, the Champions League has always been the trophy they desire most. No Italian team has won it since they last did, under José Mourinho 15 years ago. Inter’s run to the final two years ago only deepened their hunger In Inzaghi’s mind they are already back on that stage “The final won’t be played in Munich,” he said last week Despite twice letting a lead slip, his team came away from the draw in Barcelona with renewed belief They stood toe-to-toe with opponents who have scored 150 goals this season and proved they were capable of trading blows “Inter c’è,” said Alessandro Bastoni – Inter are here Denzel Dumfries couldn’t stop talking about how this was “la Inter vera” – the real one not the pale imitation we had seen for the previous week La Gazzetta dello Sport called them “Stellar” Before the first leg, Inter’s greatest selection concern surrounded Marcus Thuram, who has struggled to shake off a string of niggling injuries in 2025. He wound up starting, and scoring an audacious heel flick within 30 seconds of kick-off at Montjuïc. “When you get to this point of the season, nobody is 100%,” said the Frenchman. “It’s hard for everyone, Barcelona too. But these are matches you have to play even if you’re not at 100%.” Martínez appears to be of the same mind. He posted to Instagram with a photo of himself performing a pull-up accompanied by battery and hourglass emojis. He is expected to train with teammates on Monday and several Italian outlets have already reported he will start on Tuesday. Not every return from injury, though, goes as well as Thuram’s. The fear is that Martínez’s desperation to play may run ahead of his body’s capability to heal. Read moreInter’s chances of beating Barcelona will certainly be less if he is absent or even below his best Inzaghi noted the difference in depth between his squad and Hansi Flick’s after the first leg Inter have struggled when their starters are missing Mehdi Taremi has scored three goals in 39 appearances in all competitions Inter have fielded the oldest starting XIs in both Serie A and the Champions League this season There is a core that could be rebuilt around – Bastoni Nicolò Barella and Federico Dimarco – but a couple of the team’s most reliable relied-upon players – Francesco Acerbi and Henrikh Mkhitaryan – are into the second half of their 30s earned in part from the fact that so many of these players have been here and done this before That courage to keep attacking even after conceding weighty goals in places like Barcelona and Munich has made supporters love this team even more To reach a second Champions League final in three years “We went against all odds to play a great game in Barcelona,” said Farris As Inter Milan and FC Barcelona prepare for their Champions League semi-final second leg at San Siro the fingerprints of French football and Ligue 1 McDonald's can be seen all throughout.  Inter Milan's journey to this stage has been significantly bolstered by the contributions of their French contingent made headlines by scoring the fastest goal in a UEFA Champions League semi-final netting within 30 seconds during the 3-3 draw in the first leg His dynamic presence in attack has been instrumental for the Nerazzurri Benjamin Pavard honed his skills at Lille before moving to Germany making 21 appearances for Les Dogues ahead of his move to Stuttgart and his burst onto the international scene at the 2018 World Cup The Frenchman played for Bayern Munich before joining Inter Milan in 2023 Pavard is expected to return to the starting lineup providing much-needed stability against a Barcelona offense which ran riot in the first leg Raphinha enjoyed a brilliant spell at Stade Rennais before joining Leeds United in the Premier League and pressing intensity—traits now critical to Barcelona's attacking endeavors scoring 12 goals and providing 7 assists in 12 appearances leading the competition in goal contributions Though ruled out of the second leg due to injury Jues Koundé’s influence on Barcelona’s back line has been constant throughout the campaign the France international made 55 appearances for Les Girondins in Ligue 1 McDonald's before moving to Sevilla in 2019 Koundé moved to Barcelona and broke into the French national team - he has featured in 12 Champions League matches this season READ MORE: >>Les Voisins: Paris FC and Paris Saint-Germain reunited after 53 years Things have just been turned up a notch as FC Barcelona next face an all or nothing match in the Champions League it's time for Hansi Flick's side to travel to Milan for the semifinal return leg with a final place at stake Kick-off is at 9pm CEST on Tuesday and this guide should help you work out what time that will be in your part of the world This page also lists the broadcasters that hold the rights to UCL games in different countries and regions Please bear in mind that FC Barcelona has no direct control over television distribution rights and you should check your local news and TV listings to confirm that they are televising this particular game If you are unable to watch for whatever reason, or if you wish to complement your viewing with second screen info, don’t forget that we have full coverage of the game, including the build-up live from the stadium and post-match reactions in our Match Center right here on the official website Here's a map showing selected kick-off times around the world with a link to download it should you prefer: And not forgetting the complete coverage available on our official social networks: Canada / Vancouver (12.00 PM); Toronto (3.00 PM)DAZN United States / Los Angeles (12.00 PM); New York (3.00 PM)Paramount+ Central America / Costa Rica (1.00 PM); Panama (2.00 PM)ESPN Norte Bahamas (3.00 PM)CPSL (Flow Sports & SportsMax) Balkan Republics (9.00 PM)Arena SportPlus: HRT in Croatia Russia and Belarus / Moscow (10.00 PM)Okko Central Asian Republics / Uzbekistan (12.00 AM) Australia / Perth (3.00 AM) Sydney (5.00 AM)STAN The word “epic” gets overused but good luck trying to steer the adjectives in another direction when describing the upcoming La Liga match between El Clasico rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid MORE — Barca win Copa del Rey | El Clasico player ratings The May 11 match will likely be the decider when it comes the 2024-25 La Liga title and the fact that it comes on the heels of a 5-goal extra time Copa del Rey final between the historic rivals only amps up the tension did we mention that three Real Madrid players were sent off near the final whistle for losing their cool — and in Antonio Rudiger’s case one of the world’s all-time rivalries remains full of intrigue Barca hold a four-point lead on second place Real with just four matches left each in the La Liga season A win wouldn’t mathematically end Real’s one-year reign atop La Liga and a seven-point lead with only three match days left would signal Barca’s return to domestic dominance Kick off time: 10:15am ET Sunday (May 11)Venue: Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc — BarcelonaTV/Streaming: ESPN Deportes, ESPN+ October 26, 2024 — La Liga — Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona January 12, 2025 (Saudi Arabia) — Supercopa de Espana Final — Real Madrid 2-5 Barcelona April 26, 2025 (Seville) — Copa Del Rey Final — Barcelona 3-2 aet Real Madrid — Player ratings Marc Casado (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Alex Balde (left back) It seems absurd that Barca would win all four Clasicos in one season though Lewandowski’s potential absence or not 100% fit status does help Real We’ll have to see what Antonio Rudiger’s punishment is for tossing a water bottle at the referee at the Copa del Rey final for all of Real’s quality they are quite off their path right now Real are 12W-3D-7L since the start of February and 3W-1D-4L since the start of April They are on an absurd run since the calendar hit 2025 — the Blaugranas are 23W-1L-4D in all competitions the lone loss a 3-1 second-leg loss at Borussia Dortmund after bringing a 4-0 lead from Spain to Germany A Division of NBCUniversal DISCLAIMER: This site and the products offered are for entertainment purposes only and there is no gambling offered on this site This service is intended for adult audiences No guarantees are made for any specific outcome but the Italians produced a performance worthy of continental glory last week were typically efficient in Catalonia off the back of a woeful domestic run which has greatly hindered their Scudetto challenge They were forced to defend deep against a Barca team intent on suffocation but their ability to break out of pressure and maximise their attacking moments was on full display A 3-3 draw leaves the tie wide open, but it's a result Inter certainly would've taken. Win at home on Tuesday, and the Nerazzurri are Champions League finalists for the third time this century Here's how Inter could lineup for the second leg at San Siro Inter's captain is hopeful of playing a role on Tuesday night / IMAGO / Maciej RogowskiGK: Yann Sommer–– Inzaghi's heavy rotation at the weekend even saw Sommer drop out of the XI The Swiss goalkeeper was brilliant in Barcelona despite conceding three CB: Yann Bisseck–– Bisseck has come in for the injured Benjamin Pavard who's set to miss out again on Tuesday The defender was the only player who kept his place in Saturday's XI from the first leg CB: Francesco Acerbi–– The wily Italian will face off against the returning Robert Lewandowski this week after the Polish veteran missed the first leg through injury Acerbi's going to have to be at his very best CB: Alessandro Bastoni–– Bastoni's one of the world's best but it required much more than the left-footed Italian to slow Lamine Yamal down last week it'll likely take more than three Inter bodies to tame the teenage superstar on Tuesday RWB: Denzel Dumfries–– The athletic powerhouse ran riot from set-pieces in the first leg The Dutchman surely can't repeat those heroics this week but he has a huge role to play in penetrating Barca's aggressive defensive line CM: Hakan Calhanoglu–– He wouldn't have played anyway but Calhanoglu was suspended for Inter's 1-0 win over Hellas Verona on Saturday The metronomic midfielder will sit at the base and aim to kick-start the hosts' attacking transitions CM: Nicolò Barella–– Barella did a little bit of everything last week against a superb Barcelona midfield the battle for supremacy in the middle of the park will be fierce Inter targeted long diagonal switches in behind for the Italian international last week CM: Henrikh Mkhitaryan–– The Armenian star came ever so close to scoring a fourth for Inter last week but the former Man Utd and Arsenal playmaker was subject to the tightest of offside calls He's been a reliable force for Inzaghi this term LWB: Federico Dimarco–– While Dimarco is an excellent attacking outlet he'll be required as a defender for much of Tuesday's bout He must offer Bastoni as much help as he can against Yamal ST: Lautaro Martínez–– It looked like Inter's captain would miss the second leg after suffering a hamstring injury last week Sheer willpower could get him in Tuesday's XI ST: Marcus Thuram–– Thuram opened the scoring with a delicate flick in the first leg and he'll hope his Argentinian strike partner is fit for the return leg Barcelona twice battled back to draw 3-3 at home against Inter Milan in a rip-roaring first leg of their Champions League semifinal in Olympic Stadium at Montjuïc on Wednesday Inter Milan made an explosive start, opening the scoring within the first minute courtesy of a cheeky back-heel goal from Marcus Thuram. The visitors extended their lead in the 21st minute with Denzel Dumfries finding the net with an acrobatic volley from a corner However, an electrifying Lamine Yamal led Barcelona's fightback unleashing a superb strike from inside the box after a clever run from the right to reduce the deficit three minutes after Inter's second goal Yamal went close again, hitting the post from close range before Ferran Torres leveled the score in the 38th minute with a first-time finish Despite Barcelona's dominance, Inter regained the lead in the 64th minute when Dumfries headed home from a corner. The hosts responded immediately, as Raphinha's thunderous strike from outside the box hit the post before ricocheting off the back of Inter keeper Yann Sommer and into the net to restore parity The result leaves everything to play for in the return leg at the San Siro next Tuesday, as both teams seek a place in the final in Munich against either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain "When you play at home like we did, the sensation is that we should have managed to earn a better result," Raphinha told Movistar Plus you have to give praise to our opponents who are strong and played well tonight but we are Barça and it's our duty to win at home "But the result is not that bad and it leaves it all open for the return leg in Milan so we will try to correct the mistakes so we can go there and grab the win that will take us to the final." In a riveting encounter, Inter were clinical with their finishing and withstood Barcelona's relentless attack while capitalizing on counterattacks and set pieces. Keeper Yann Sommer was instrumental in securing the draw for Inter with a series of impressive saves Barcelona, fresh from their thrilling 3-2 victory over archrivals Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final last Saturday appeared to be feeling the effects of that grueling Inter also had injury concerns, with star striker Lautaro Martínez unable to return for the second half due to a hamstring issue, having already lost Benjamin Pavard to an ankle injury Barcelona's Yamal was seemingly unstoppable and twice hit the frame of the goal, including with a late chip following a brilliant run, while Henrikh Mkhitaryan thought he had scored Inter's fourth on another quick counter but the VAR replay showed he was offside by the tip of his boot Barcelona twice battled back to draw 3-3 at home against Inter Milan in a rip-roaring first leg of their Champions League semifinal in Olympic Stadium at Montjuïc on Wednesday Inter Milan made an explosive start, opening the scoring within the first minute courtesy of a cheeky back-heel goal from Marcus Thuram. The visitors extended their lead in the 21st minute with Denzel Dumfries finding the net with an acrobatic volley from a corner However, an electrifying Lamine Yamal led Barcelona's fightback Yamal went close again, hitting the post from close range before Ferran Torres leveled the score in the 38th minute with a first-time finish Despite Barcelona's dominance, Inter regained the lead in the 64th minute when Dumfries headed home from a corner. The hosts responded immediately, as Raphinha's thunderous strike from outside the box hit the post before ricocheting off the back of Inter keeper Yann Sommer and into the net to restore parity The result leaves everything to play for in the return leg at the San Siro next Tuesday, as both teams seek a place in the final in Munich against either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain \"When you play at home like we did, the sensation is that we should have managed to earn a better result,\" Raphinha told Movistar Plus \"But the result is not that bad and it leaves it all open for the return leg in Milan so we will try to correct the mistakes so we can go there and grab the win that will take us to the final.\" Barcelona, fresh from their thrilling 3-2 victory over archrivals Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final last Saturday Inter also had injury concerns, with star striker Lautaro Martínez unable to return for the second half due to a hamstring issue, having already lost Benjamin Pavard to an ankle injury Barcelona's Yamal was seemingly unstoppable and twice hit the frame of the goal, including with a late chip following a brilliant run, while Henrikh Mkhitaryan thought he had scored Inter's fourth on another quick counter Hansi Flick will most likely heavily rotate the team that drew 3–3 vs. Inter Milan in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals on Wednesday The trip to Milan for the second leg looms large and Flick won't want to risk losing more players to injury GK: Marc-André ter Stegen—The German will play his first minutes since tearing his ACL in the Sept RB: Héctor Fort—The La Masia graduate will start his fifth La Liga game this season CB: Ronald Araújo—Pau Cubarsí and Iñigo Martínez's strong form this season has relegated Araújo to third in the center back depth chart CB: Andreas Christensen—The former Chelsea man played his first minutes since Aug LB: Gerard Martín—Martín will patrol the left flank and offer Balde some more time to recover hoping to make his return to the lineup in the second leg vs CM: Eric García—García has featured plenty in the base of midfield this season and looks poised to get the start vs CM: Gavi—Gavi impressed in the Copa Del Rey final vs. Real Madrid a week ago and will partner García in the midfield pivot RW: Ferran Torres—Torres has 10 goals in La Liga despite starting just 11 games. The former Manchester City man will lead the attack looking to score for a third straight game AM: Fermín López—The 21-year-old will operate in the No hoping to add to his seven goal involvements in La Liga this season LW: Ansu Fati—Fati started and looked sharp last time out in La Liga vs The La Masia talent hasn't had many opportunities this season but against Valladolid he'll have a chance to prove why he was once such a highly regarded young player ST: Pau Víctor—Víctor will start his third game of the season in La Liga looking to add to his two goals this term Since 2022, Spotify and FC Barcelona have brought the worlds of music and football together with a first-of-its-kind partnership. Now, the two iconic brands are tapping into the world of Travis Scott as they team up yet again for their latest jersey takeover During their El Clásico showdown on May 11 the FC Barcelona men’s squad will step onto the pitch wearing a version of the iconic blaugrana jersey featuring the Cactus Jack logo the FC Barcelona Feminí will be wearing the jersey during their season finale on May 18 Created in partnership with one of the most influential artists of our generation this special-edition Travis Scott drop bridges music reflecting the depth of Spotify’s commitment to artists and fans Spotify is also bringing Travis Scott to Barcelona on May 10 for an exclusive concert Curated to honor Travis’s most loyal Spotify listeners this marks the very first time the rap superstar will perform in the Catalan capital Featuring fan-led moments and immersive activations from start to finish this one-off event is designed to reflect the passion of the fans and the unmistakable energy that Travis brings to this partnership “El Clásico is a moment the whole world taps into Teaming up with Spotify and FC Barcelona lets me merge my universe with theirs,” said Travis “This wasn’t just about throwing Cactus Jack on a jersey It’s about building something that blurs the line between sound and sport Being the first artist to perform in Barcelona as part of this collaboration and sharing that moment with my fans just takes it to another level.” Travis’s list of achievements grows even bigger “What we’re doing here is giving artists a stage unlike any other is our most ambitious project to date,” said Marc Hazan “A global icon cocurating with us for the world’s biggest game and performing live for fans in Barcelona—that’s the power we’re unlocking It’s a real expression of what drives Spotify and FC Barcelona.” But it’s not just the players who will be wearing this buzzworthy shirt. Inspired by the club’s founding year, there are 1899 limited-edition jerseys available to purchase via the Barça Official Stores in Spain and online “The logo swap for El Clásico is the clearest example of how the alliance between Spotify and FC Barcelona is capable of generating conversations that go beyond the world of sports,” said FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta “It reflects the club’s desire to interact with our fans in a novel way and brings us closer to new audiences around the world allowing us to share who we are and what we stand for we welcome a global figure like Travis Scott to the family of artists who have had their names featured on our jersey in one of the most important sporting events on the planet.” Spotify and FC Barcelona have also cocreated a limited-edition capsule collection with Travis Scott that brings his creative universe to life the Cactus Jack collection includes two unique hoodies and a retro football that channel the energy of El Clásico Rooted in Travis’s signature aesthetic, the collection is already earning rave reviews from FC Barcelona stars like Jules Kounde “As a long-time Travis listener and someone who cares about style this collaboration with Spotify is powerful,” Jules said “Seeing the Cactus Jack logo on our jersey and being part of a drop that blends football with fashion and music is something that I’m hugely inspired by and I’m proud to be part of a club that embraces that.” Fans who want to get their hands on the Cactus Jack collection can purchase these pieces from TravisScott.com starting May 9 This collaboration is just the latest example of Spotify and FC Barcelona bringing the worlds of music and football together through preseason tours To learn more, be sure to visit our FC Barcelona hub on For the Record. And don’t forget to check out our FC Barcelona hub on Spotify—which now includes a special Travis Scott takeover of the Barça Matchday playlist: Robert Lewandowski has returned to Barcelona’s matchday squad for their Champions League semi-final second leg against Inter Lewandowski suffered a left hamstring injury during Hansi Flick’s side’s 4-3 victory over Celta Vigo in La Liga on April 19 and subsequently missed Barcelona’s last four matches who has scored 40 goals for Barca across all competitions this season missed the league victories against Leganes and Real Valladolid the Copa del Rey final triumph over Real Madrid and last week’s first leg 3-3 draw against Simone Inzaghi’s side Barcelona manager Hansi Flick said on Lewandowksi: “I spoke to him yesterday and he’s making good progress He’ll be on the bench (against Inter) if we need him.” The Poland international joined Barcelona from Bayern Munich in 2022 and has scored 99 times in 143 appearances ✅ ¡Robert Lewandowski ya ha recibido el 𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐚 𝐦𝐞́𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚 y viaja con el equipo para el decisivo #InterBarça! 🤜🤛 pic.twitter.com/1RMjMbIdqw — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) May 5, 2025 Barca defensive duo Alejandro Balde and Jules Kounde remain sidelined with injuries Flick’s team face a key week in their season with the trip to Inter coming five days ahead of their home match against Real Madrid in La Liga Barca lead their El Clasico rivals by four points in the league title race with four rounds of matches remaining having already won the Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana this campaign Flick also heaped praise on winger Lamine Yamal who was a standout for Barcelona in the first leg last week The German coach said: “I hope you know me by now and for me We want to reach the final and we need everyone at their best.” which means Hansi Flick will likely offer rest to some of his more taxed players Real Valladolid have nothing to lose going into the match and have a chance to add even more excitement to the La Liga title race climax The hosts are bound for La Liga2 next season but they'll want to end the season on a high and defeat Barcelona at home like they did the last time the Catalans visited in 2023 here's all you need to know ahead of Real Valladolid vs Atlético Madrid 4–2 Real Valladolid - 4/14/25 Real Sociedad 2–1 Real Valladolid - 3/29/25 Valladolid have had a nightmare of a season they're 14 points back of second to last on the table Leganés Real Betis made Valladolid's relegation official Álvaro Rubio's side are in the midst of a 14 game winless streak and have won just one game since the calendar turned to 2025 Three different managers have been at the helm since the start of 2024-25 but none have figured out a way to turn the season around Arsenal loanee goalkeeper Karl Hein remains sidelined with a shoulder injury and won't feature in Barcelona's visit Henrique Silva and Javi Sánchez are also sidelined with injuries Flick will most likely heavily rotate his side to rest key players ahead of the second leg of the Champions League semifinals vs Jules Koundé suffered a hamstring injury in the first leg vs Inter that will keep him sidelined for at least two weeks Robert Lewandowski and Alejandro Baldé are nearing a return from their respective injuries but it's unlikely Flick will risk them in the trip to Valladolid One major positive for Barcelona is that Flick confirmed that goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen will make his return between the sticks after suffering an ACL injury back in Sept The German will captain a Barcelona side that will still be expected to defeat Valladolid to keep up the pace in the La Liga title race Real Valladolid (4-2-3-1): Ter Stegen; Fort Although Barcelona won't be at full strength they still have more than enough quality to dispatch a Real Valladolid side that's collected just one point since the second half of the La Liga season started The Catalans will control possession and dictate the match With Fermín López having the freedom to create and an in-form Ferran Torres leading the attack Barça will find a way to carve open a defense that's conceded 81 goals in the league If things were to get tight and Barcelona aren't able to take a comfortable lead expect Flick to introduce some of his attacking gems in the second half Lewandowski and Raphinha have amassed 86 goals between them in all competitions this season to keep Barça in the hunt for a treble heading into the final weeks of the season However, Kroos, who retired last summer believes Pedri is the key to the success Barça are having under Hansi Flick this season "For me, a player like Pedri is more important than Lamine Yamal, Raphinha or Lewandowski," the ex-Germany international said on his podcast, Einfach mal Luppen. Pedri is currently the best player in the world in his position Toni Kroos has called Pedri the best midfielder in the world. Getty"He's a player you will miss when he's not playing He doesn't just score goals or provide assists appears to have left behind the injury problems which plagued him in recent seasons scoring six goals and setting up seven more Barça will once again look to him on Tuesday, when they travel to Inter Milan in the second leg of their Champions League semifinal after drawing 3-3 at the Olympic Stadium last week "I have been watching what Pedri is doing this season," Kroos added he's better than his opponents in every game "In LaLiga the difference [between him and his opponents] is only more extreme "He's one of the few midfielders in his position that has the ability to beat dribble past players when there is no space A player like Pedri helps you in every area of the game." Barça face a potentially title deciding Clásico against Kroos' former side Madrid on Sunday The Catalans go into the side with a four point lead at the top of LaLiga Kroos remembers how difficult it was to stop Pedri when he was still playing in the fixture Once or twice I thought I could get to him but he dribbles so well and I couldn't even stop him with a foul Read more“We’ve spoke yesterday and everything is going the right way maybe he can come in,” Flick said on Monday Barcelona’s hopes of reaching their first Champions League final in a decade are buoyed up by Lewandowski’s return especially after an exhilarating 3-3 draw in the first leg the team will be without the full-backs Jules Koundé and Alejandro Balde Flick did not reveal his plans to replace the injured duo but he hinted at deploying the centre-backs Ronald Araújo and Eric García or relying on the youngsters Héctor Fort or Gerard Martín in their natural positions Koundé and Balde’s absence will pose a big challenge for Flick, with Barcelona struggling to stop Inter’s counterattacks in the first leg Denzel Dumfries who was brilliant down Inter’s right against Barcelona in the first leg scores his team’s second goal Photograph: Mattia Ozbot/Inter/Getty Images“As a coaching staff We see how a player performed in each situation and maybe we will have to make some changes because we need to defend much better,” Flick said It has to do with the player but we have to find the right idea of how we want to play but also the players have to show on the pitch who they are and what they are made of.” are unbeaten domestically since late December and are leading La Liga by four points they host Real in a crucial La Liga encounter that could effectively decide the title on Sunday Free daily newsletterKick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football revealed the availability of his injured captain and the defender Benjamin Pavard remains uncertain Martínez was forced off with what appeared to be a muscle injury in Barcelona “We will decide on Lautaro and Pavard together with the medical staff and the players they will have to tell me how they feel,” Inzaghi said Pavard participated in the first part of training and felt OK ‘Triplete’ is the Spanish word for a treble of major trophies — and in Barcelona While most players do not want to talk about winning a clean sweep of trophies “When you’re at La Masia (Barca’s famed youth academy) you always dream of winning the triplete,” midfielder Gavi said at the news conference before the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Borussia Dortmund On Saturday, Barca lifted the Copa del Rey after a 3-2 win against Real Madrid. During the celebrations, there was a subtle reference to the treble when the Coldplay song Viva la Vida played over the loudspeakers of the La Cartuja stadium — the soundtrack to the club’s first treble under Pep Guardiola in 2008-09 Barcelona hold a four-point lead over Madrid in La Liga with a Clasico at their temporary Montjuic home ground to come and drew 3-3 in a madcap first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Inter Winning all three competitions would give Barca the third treble in the club’s history after Guardiola’s first and another under Luis Enrique in 2014-15 Only eight men’s teams have won their nation’s league domestic cup and the European Cup/Champions League in a single season and Barca could become the only team to do it three times (they and Bayern Munich are the only teams to have done it twice) But it is not just Hansi Flick’s team who could lift a treble for Barcelona this season The club’s women’s team are on course to achieve that feat for the second time in their history And Barca’s Juvenil A under-19s completed theirs on Monday when they beat Turkish side Trabzonspor in the UEFA Youth League final in Switzerland adding the youth equivalent of the Champions League to league and cup finals already sewn up this campaign It could even be a hat-trick of quadruples for Barca The men’s and women’s teams have won their respective Supercopas de Espana — Spain’s equivalent of England’s Community Shield — and the Juvenil A team are aiming to claim the Copa de Campeones where the winners of each regional league at that level meet in May to decide an overall champion it is turning out to be a historic season for Barcelona we talk you through how each team got here what stands in their way and the links between the sides Closest challengers: Real Madrid (four points behind) Domestic cup: Won 3-2 after extra time vs Real Madrid (April 26) Champions League: Semi-final vs Inter (drew first leg 3-3 on April 30 This season was supposed to be a transitional one for Barca’s men’s team. Financial problems hang over the club, their squad is full of young players, the team are still playing away from the Camp Nou and they had to contend with the traumatic exit of club legend Xavi as coach at the end of last term But Flick has given the team a clear idea of how to play, with pressing from the front and an extremely high defensive line Practically all the players have returned to form Frenkie de Jong and Jules Kounde transformed from the previous campaign Inigo Martinez and youngsters Pau Cubarsi and Lamine Yamal Barca are four points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid in La Liga and have scored 12 goals in three games against them this season across the league and the Supercopa de Espana and Copa del Rey finals They meet again in La Liga at Montjuic on Sunday May 11 and hold the head-to-head advantage over Madrid after their 4-0 win at the Bernabeu earlier in the season (if teams are tied on points La Liga separates teams based on their results against each other rather than goal difference) Beating Madrid would virtually confirm Barca as champions: assuming they win their fixtures this weekend against Celta Vigo and Real Valladolid respectively a win for the Catalans would put them seven points clear with three games left to play That would mean a win in their following game against local rivals Espanyol on May 15 would make them champions The Copa is already in the bag with that win against Madrid after extra time in Seville on Saturday, secured thanks to Kounde’s last-gasp effort. “If they (Madrid) score one or two goals, it doesn’t matter,” Yamal told official club channel Barca One after that match. “This season, they can’t beat us.” He was asked about those comments in his first press conference for Barca on Tuesday It all seems to come down to the Champions League Barca travel to Milan for the second leg on Tuesday hoping to reach the final at Munich’s Allianz Arena on May 31 They are looking to win the Champions League for the first time since 2015 this is the first time since Lionel Messi left the club that they have even reached the semi-finals Domestic cup: Final vs Atletico Madrid on June 8 Champions League: Final vs Arsenal on May 24 Barcelona Femeni have dominated women’s football but this Liga F season has been one of the most evenly matched in recent years. Pere Romeu’s team have lost two games in the league, against UD Levante and Real Madrid – the latter their only defeat to the club’s arch-rivals in 19 attempts They have three league games left — against Deportivo La Coruna If they and Real Madrid win on the weekend Barca could secure the league against Betis on May 11 Barca thrashed Chelsea 8-2 on aggregate in the semi-finals and will face Arsenal in the final in Lisbon on May 24 They will be looking to lift the title for the fourth time in five seasons having reached the final five years in a row they could seal the treble on June 7 when facing Atletico Madrid in the Copa de la Reina final Romeu’s team are still considered strong favourites despite that recent loss to Madrid Yamal and Gavi have been seen attending women’s games this season the 18-year-old attacking midfielder with whom he shares a sponsor Double Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder Aitana Bonmati regularly watches the men’s Champions League matches in the Catalan town of Sant Pere de Ribes with a supporters group named after her Bonmati has been one of Barca’s star players again but Patri Guijarro fellow two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas Ewa Pajor and Claudia Pina have been key in this final stretch of the season Domestic cup: Beat Real Zaragoza 5-0 in the final (March 16) Youth League: Beat Trabzonspor 4-1 in the final (April 28) Barca’s under-19 team — coached by Juliano Belletti the former Chelsea and Brazil right-back who scored the winner in Barca’s 2006 Champions League final against Arsenal — have already won their treble They were crowned youth Copa del Rey champions on March 16 after their rout of Zaragoza in the final with striker Hugo Alba and winger Juan Hernandez both scoring twice They secured the Division de Honor Juvenil league title on April 12 (they are 11 points ahead of second- and third-placed Mallorca and Catalan side Damm in their group) and lifted the Youth League title this week inspired by 18-year-old Mali star Ibrahim Diarra The Juvenil A team — which is the age group below Barca’s ‘B’ team Yamal and first-team midfielder Marc Bernal could be playing and there are plenty of links with the first team plays for them and the Barca backup striker is also good friends with Quim Junyent a midfielder who has impressed for Belletti’s team in the Youth League this season Junyent and winger Jan Virgili have stood out Belletti’s team will play the Copa de Campeones quarter-finals against Valencia next month with the tournament’s final four taking place from May 26-June 1 in Ponferrada They will be hoping to turn a treble into a quadruple Before joining The Athletic as a football writer, Laia Cervelló worked at Diario Sport reporting on FC Barcelona for four years. She has also worked for another four years for BeIN SPORTS Spain and GOLTV. She began her career as a journalist at 'betevé', the public television station in Barcelona, where she spent almost nine years. Follow Laia on Twitter @Laia_Cervello Barcelona and Inter played out a pulsating 3-3 draw in Catalonia, in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final Marcus Thuram scored the fastest goal in semi-final history after just 30 seconds before Denzel Dumfries acrobatically doubled Inter’s lead 20 minutes later Inspired by Lamine Yamal Barcelona roared back thanks to the teenager’s stunning solo goal and Ferran Torres’ neat finish Dumfries scored again to make it 3-2 but that lead lasted only a minute, as Raphinha’s fierce strike from range went in off Yann Sommer after crashing against the crossbar It sets up the intriguing prospect of a winner-takes-all second leg at San Siro on Tuesday Barcelona 3 Inter 3: Breaking down Yamal magic April 30, 2025 at 8:04 PM EDTMichael Bailey·Live ReporterWhat’s next for both sides?We know the key bit here It’s the second leg of this semi-final in San Siro where Inter and Barcelona will carry on where they left off tonight May 6 — with the victor finding out 24 hours later who between PSG and Arsenal (1-0) they will meet in Munich for the final Barcelona travel on Saturday night to face Real Valladolid: La Liga’s bottom side on a run of seven straight defeats and with a goal difference of -57 Barca have a four-point lead from Real Madrid at the summit with five games to play they play at roughly the same time as Barcelona — hosting a struggling Hellas Verona that are five games without a win and three without a goal Inter are three points behind Serie A leaders Napoli with four games left Let’s get more of your opinions on a beauty of a game today as attention starts to turn towards the two second legs in this wonderful Champions League semi-final draw… Barca-Inter might be the most underrated fixture in Europe but this might be the best game this season in Europe.” if Neymar and Mbappe were sold for €200 million several years ago 💬 Dev S: “Barca until this evening had not conceded a single goal from a corner for the entire 2024-25 UCL campaign Inter literally specializes in dead-ball situations The manner in which Araújo and Martín got out-jumped and outmuscled on both those goals is very concerning Let’s hope both Balde and Jules are fit for the second leg.” We love reading and featuring your comments. Remember, you can continue to post your thoughts in our Discuss tab at the top of our coverage — and if you’re not a subscriber then just put your thoughts in an email to: live@theathletic.com This gem from Josep Lago of Inter Milan wing-back Denzel Dumfries This is exactly how I imagine it feeling to wring your body of all its energy in the draining environment of a Champions League semi-final leg against Barcelona And Dumfries was exceptional in those 90 minutes too It felt like the closing stages of a second leg with Inter not keen to settle for the draw they may have wanted to take back to San Siro next week Before the away-goals rule was discontinued by UEFA in summer 2021 — meaning away goals were the decider in two-legged ties that finished in an aggregate draw — teams who were 3-3 up were generally happy to keep that scoreline knowing a 0-0 or 2-2 draw in the return leg would be enough to progress who won at Barca on the way to the 2010 Champions League trophy and the treble would definitely have been in ‘what we have who kept pushing forward — even after Raphinha’s equaliser had appeared to swing the momentum back Barca’s way Current coach Simone Inzaghi made positive substitutions and his team continued to look to exploit Barca’s rocky defensive high line Barca experienced a let-off when the officials did not punish an apparent handball by Inigo Martinez and they escaped again when only the narrowest of offside calls stopped Henrikh Mkhitaryan from making it 4-3 It made for tremendous drama — and if the scrapping of the away goals rule had any part in the entertainment The idea of set pieces deciding big European matches is something of a cliche — but it was proved true here Inter scored twice from their first two corners — that they only had two in the first 63 minutes is a sign of how counter-attacking and defensive they ended up playing The delivery was almost identical both times: a whipped right-footed ball from the right by Hakan Calhanoglu With a starting XI 1.5 centimetres shorter on average than Inter’s Barcelona’s equaliser — just two minutes after Inter went 3-2 up — was never going to be an outswinging corner for an aerial finish like Inter scored twice from the bodies in the box became decoys and they went short for Raphinha to rifle home from distance His clean strike got the bit of luck it needed when it hit the bar and went in off Yann Sommer’s back It felt like rewatching Inter in 2023 all over again Inter scored twice in the first 11 minutes of the Champions League semi-final first leg ‘away’ to city rivals Milan one goal was from a trademark vertical move and wing-back low cross Marcus Thuram’s opening backheel inside 30 seconds made it four European goals this term for the forward half as many as club captain Lautaro Martinez (eight) But it was also an example of how dangerous a role those forwards play in the build-up for their own goals Inter’s corner to double their lead followed the same textbook outswinger they have used to great effect this season with Denzel Dumfries acrobatically volleying in Francesco Acerbi’s header towards goal — their 14th goal from a corner in all competitions this term Inter had stunned this treble-chasing team and their supporters — but Barca responded in style let’s hear more from our writers as they break down the key points from a fabulous Champions League semi-final at Montjuic remember you can read all their work in full below… Ronaldo was 21 years and 92 days old when he won the Ballon d’Or in 1997 — the youngest player to do so That was off the back of winning European and domestic titles with Barcelona and having already enjoyed World Cup success with Brazil do the attacking instincts of Federico Dimarco negate his struggles against Lamine Yamal Carlos Augusto seemed to shackle him better I suspect the dynamism and mobility of Davide Frattesi or even Kristjan Asllani may be better suited to the white heat of the engine room against the young guns of Barcelona than veteran Henrikh Mkhitaryan Barcelona will have a question mark over Wojciech Szczesny He swept up well behind the high line but will usual first-choice Marc-Andre ter Stegen be fit by then Hansi Flick’s back four of centre-halves to end the match is surely not a long-term solution against Inter’s flying wing-backs it was their youngest player who pulled them back into the game Lamine Yamal set up chances for team-mates Ferran Torres and Dani Olmo and almost scored a second wonder goal himself two minutes after his first effort dribbling past two defenders before Yann Sommer pulled off a fantastic finger-tip save to divert his shot onto the woodwork He hit the woodwork again late in the second half after earlier showing supreme skill when he left two Inter players in his wake Yamal is now on 22 goals and 33 assists over his century of Barca games — including a pair of assists to help win last Saturday’s fierce Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid There is a case to be made for Lamine Yamal already being the best player in Europe — so it’s no surprise that he is attracting plenty of love from his manager Hansi Flick After a starring turn on the big stage tonight Flick hailed Yamal as a once-in-a-generation talent: when I looked at the match from the outside you see all the details and it is unbelievable how he does it “For me the best thing is he keeps going strong In the big games he keeps showing how good he is I am really happy this talent that comes every 50 years Something tells me Yamal will not struggle with the pressure of all those positive words.. Even if Barcelona do have to keep on going without Robert Lewandowski This is a list of the best Champions League goal involvement duos in a single season — and it makes for a nice subplot as the pair chase history: who will be keeping everything crossed ahead of next week that they will be bolstered by a few returning players Hansi Flick has provided an optimistic update on both Alejandro Balde and Robert Lewandowski 💬 “We hope they might have a chance to play in Milan That would help massively if they are to go to San Siro and get a result next week Some injury worries for Inter ahead of the second leg with Lautaro Martinez and some potentially bad news for Barcelona here too As suggested by Hansi Flick and now mentioned by our correspondent Pol Ballus it sounds from club sources that Jules Kounde sustained a hamstring injury tonight — and that would surely rule him out of the second leg in Milan One to keep an eye on over the coming days Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has been speaking to the media after the game and is not too concerned with his side conceding three goals despite being aware of Inter’s strengths from set pieces and he remains confident that will be enough come the second leg next week: “It’s not easy when you play every three days Kounde’s injury is also about playing every three days Barcelona have put themselves in a fantastic position to win the treble sitting four points clear in La Liga and having won the Copa del Rey final agains Real Madrid at the weekend They are now also two games away from glory in the Champions League Frenkie de Jong spoke about the mood in the dressing room: 💬 “The atmosphere in the team is very good We’re playing good games and winning always helps the atmosphere “We feel that we have a team that can do something special and hopefully we can prove that.” Let’s take a look at some of your views from tonight’s action, from The Athletic’s discussion tab at the top of the page and available here Now Barcelona have to show they can defend well at San Siro Offensively I don’t think they have much to worry about when Yamal is in this sort of form 💬 Manhattan G: Absolutely no question these four semi-finalists are far and away the four best teams on the planet right now Offensive brilliance in many phases and pathetic defending on the corners I get they’re much taller but we need to do better I can only hope we get Lewandowski and Balde back and that Kounde returns Inter seemed like they were saving Thuram and Dumfries for this game Remember you can get involved by emailing us at: live@theathletic.com today's co-commentator on CBS' broadcast in the United States always has some creative ways of describing the action Here are a few of his highlights from today And he had several show-stoppers related to Lamine Yamal's performance Simone Inzaghi was pleased with the performance of his players away from home and picked out Lamine Yamal for special praise when discussing the problems the Italians faced: I still haven’t seen why (Mkhitaryan’s) goal was disallowed but we know we put in a great performance against as Lamine Yamal is a player whose quality I haven’t seen for at least eight or nine years as we had to double up the marking every time so by tripling up we’d leave gaps elsewhere and were forced to sit deeper as Barcelona have also played many games this season It was a very good second-half performance.” Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement Barcelona will look to keep their treble dream on track on Saturday as they travel west to face a Real Valladolid side that's already doomed to play in the Segunda División next season.  Below, we'll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the game as it happens, wherever you are in the world, and how to use a VPN if the match isn't available there After an enthralling 3-3 Champions League draw at home against Inter Milan in midweek hailed by many pundits as the season's best game Barcelona and boss Hansi Flick will be eager to return to winning ways with a victory here set to once again give the visitors a significant seven-point lead over title rivals Real Madrid at the top of the standings After a 5-1 annihilation at the feet of Real Betis last time out the signs look ominous today for a Valladolid team that has little to salvage after their relegation fate was confirmed with Diego Cocca's men having accumulated just 16 points so far this term Real Valladolid take on Barcelona at the Estadio Municipal José Zorrilla on Saturday AEST kickoff in Australia on Sunday.  Barcelona wonder kid Lamine Yamal's dazzling display in his team's 3-3 midweek draw with Inter Milan was his 100th appearance for the Catalan club This match is available to stream in the US via ESPN Plus which has live English- and Spanish-language broadcast rights for La Liga in the US ESPN's standalone streaming service costs $12 a month or $120 for an annual subscription. Read our ESPN Plus review If you're traveling abroad and want to keep up with all the Spanish soccer action while away from home a VPN can help enhance your privacy and security when streaming.  It encrypts your traffic and prevents your internet service provider from throttling your speeds and can also be helpful when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks while traveling adding an extra layer of protection for your devices and logins and can be used for legitimate purposes such as improving online privacy and security.  some streaming services may have policies restricting VPN usage to access region-specific content If you're considering a VPN for streaming check the platform's terms of service to ensure compliance.  follow the provider's installation instructions ensuring you're connected securely and in compliance with applicable laws and service agreements Some streaming platforms may block access when a VPN is detected so verifying if your streaming subscription allows VPN usage is crucial.  ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN but if you sign up for an annual subscription for $100 you'll get three months free and save 49% That's the equivalent of $6.67 a month Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee Premier Sports is showing a minimum of five live matches per week from Spain's top league on its Premier Sports 1 and 2 channels This game will be shown exclusively live on Premier Sports 2 A subscription to just Premier Sports' dedicated La Liga channel costs £8 a month You can also get the channel via a full subscription to Premier Sports giving you access to all of the network's channels which have the UK broadcast rights to Scottish Premiership matches BKT United Rugby Championship and Investec Champions Cup rugby A full Premier Sports subscription costs £10 per month for Sky and Virgin TV customers You can also get Premier Sports through Amazon Prime Video as an add-on for £15 a month.  TSN is the rights holder for live coverage of La Liga matches in the region with select fixtures being shown on its linear channels and a wider selection of games being shown on its TSN Plus streaming platform This match is set to be shown on TSN Plus.  TSN Plus is a direct-streaming service that costs CA$8 a month and also offers coverage of PGA Tour Live golf Nascar and the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments Footy fans down under can watch La Liga matches live on BeIn Sports which holds the live broadcast rights in Australia for Spanish top-flight matches This match is set to be shown on BeIn Sports 2 BeIn Sports is available in Australia for AU$15 a month or a yearly commitment of AU$130.  Barca get fitness boost ahead of the Champions League semi-final second leg Sport | Football Barcelona are boosted by the return of Robert Lewandowski for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Inter Milan. Lewandowski has missed their last four games with a hamstring injury, including last week’s thrilling 3-3 first leg draw but is fit again and has been included in the 23-man Barcelona squad that has travelled to Milan The striker may have to settle for a place on the bench, as Barcelona boss Hansi Flick also has one eye on Sunday’s El Clasico against Real Madrid "We've spoke yesterday and everything is going the right way and (Lewandowski) is good,” Flick said at his pre-match press conference Wojciech Szczesny will continue in goal as Marc-Andre ter Stegen has not been named in the squad despite making his return to action in the 2-1 win over Real Valladolid at the weekend First-choice full-backs Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde miss out through injury meaning Eric Garcia and either Gerard Martin or Pau Cubarsi are likely to deputise Frenkie de Jong and Pedri are expected to start after playing a half each at the weekend while Dani Olmo is set to reclaim the No10 role despite Fermin Lopez scoring the winner against Valladolid PSG XI vs Arsenal: Confirmed team news and predicted semi-final lineup Inter Milan XI vs Barcelona: Predicted lineup and confirmed team news Spurs get major Europa League boost after new Premier League decision How Give Your Best aims to solve clothing poverty in the UK In attack, Raphinha and in-form Lamine Yamal are set to start to start on the flanks with Ferran Torres leading the line once again as he looks to repeat his heroics from the Copa del Rey final second leg Predicted Barcelona XI: Szczesny; Eric Garcia Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin David Beckham extends olive branch to son Brooklyn amid 'family feud' Pregnant Jesy Nelson reveals plans for future in message from her hospital bed after surgery Pregnant Jesy Nelson reveals plans for future in message from hospital The 17-year-old La Masia graduate has 14 goals and 24 assists in 48 appearances this season Inter knocked off formidable Bayern Munich Eight of the Nerazzurri’s starters from the 2023 semifinal team are still in tow Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martínez form a strong attacking punch though Thuram is still making his way back from an adductor injury The second leg of this starry matchup is scheduled for Tuesday Barcelona last reached the Champions League final in 2015 Inter fell to Manchester City in the 2023 final a 1-0 stinger settled by Rodri’s lone goal The winner of this stage takes on either Arsenal or PSG — the Parisians took Tuesday’s first leg (Photo of Lamine Yamal: Fran Santiago / Getty Images) Steven Louis Goldstein is a Staff Writer for The Athletic He lives in Los Angeles and graduated from Northwestern University Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal celebrates after scoring during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan in Barcelona watches from the tribune during the Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Hellas Verona at the San Siro Stadium Barcelona’s Raphinha reacts after a missed scoring opportunity during the Spanish Copa del Rey final soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid at Estadio de La Cartuja stadium in Seville celebrates with his teammates after scoring his side’s opening goal during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at Emirates Stadium in London PSG players celebrate after their teammate Ousmane Dembele scored his side’s opening goal during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at Emirates Stadium in London Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka controls the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth at Emirates stadium in London fights for the ball with PSG’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at Emirates Stadium in London PARIS (AP) — Scoring three away goals should make Inter Milan feel confident heading into the return leg of its Champions League semifinal against Barcelona on Tuesday but then there’s Raphinha — who is merely Barcelona’s other Ballon d’Or contender With his long-range shooting and speedy attacks through the middle or down the flanks The Brazilian has 12 goals in the competition one more than strike partner Robert Lewandowski the defense remains vulnerable and coach Hansi Flick is under pressure to make the right calls Barcelona is looking to win the competition for the sixth time Players and coaches have been warning about the damaging effects of a congested calendar Look no further than Barcelona and Inter for examples Lewandowksi has netted 40 goals this season and needs one more goal to hit 100 for Barcelona Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martínez also went off injured in the first leg Paris Saint-Germain is hopeful 33-goal top scorer Ousmane Dembélé will be fit to start on Wednesday PSG reached the semis last season but Arsenal reached this stage for the first time since 2009 Coach Luis Enrique has transformed PSG into a slick and cohesive unit since Kylian Mbappé's offseason departure to Real Madrid Much of that is down to Luis Enrique’s hard-nosed ability to generate competition for places with no favorable treatment like in previous years but PSG does not carry the same threat without Dembélé Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta pledged to use “the frustration rage and anger” from the Premier League defeat to fire up his players against PSG Arsenal was found wanting tactically in the first leg where PSG dominated the first half and scored when a 26-pass move led to Dembélé's goal Star player Bukayo Saka was shut down by PSG winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia who has a remarkable ability to attack and defend equally well on the left flank Arteta deployed him too far forward in the first leg and by the time he dropped back PSG was in control Winners will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal in the Champions League final on May 31 Inter Milan and Barcelona meet at the San Siro in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final The tie is finely poised at 3-3 following a six-goal thriller in Spain last week Inter twice led in the first leg but were pegged back by a Barcelona side inspired by 17-year-old superstar Lamine Yamal The Italian side are bidding to reach a second Champions League final in three seasons while La Liga leaders and Copa del Rey winners Barcelona are targeting a treble Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the game.. Inter Milan vs Barcelona is scheduled for a 8pm BST kick-off on Tuesday the game will be televised live on Amazon Prime Video Coverage starts at 7pm BST ahead of a 8pm kick-off Live stream: Amazon Prime subscribers can also catch the action live online via the Amazon Prime Video website Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog Inter hope to be boosted by the return of captain Lautaro Martinez The Argentine striker suffered a knock in the first leg which forced him off at half-time and caused him to miss the 1-0 win over Verona at the weekend How to watch Inter Milan vs Barcelona: TV channel and live stream Barcelona XI vs Inter Milan: Predicted lineup and confirmed team news Enter the AXA Startup Angel competition to win £25,000 Benjamin Pavard is also in contention to return though manager Simone Inzaghi has said he will make a late decision on the pair’s involvement Robert Lewandowski has travelled with the Barcelona squad to Italy after recovering from the hamstring injury that has seen him sit out the last four games across all competitions Alejandro Balde has not recovered from his injury in time and will play no part in Milan along with Jules Kounde and Marc-Andre ter Stegen While last week’s fixture was one that all the neutrals will have enjoyed the decider could be a lot more cagey as the stakes are even higher of following up an high-scoring first leg with a low-scoring second leg Not having their first-choice full-backs is a massive blow for the Catalan giants. However, they just have too much firepower and with Lamine Yamal in the form he is in it’s hard to look past the visitors securing the win to reach the Champions League final On the one occasion the two teams have met in a Champions League semi-final Inter progressed 3-2 on aggregate thanks to an heroic defensive performance in the second leg at the Camp Nou That fixture is arguably best remembered for Jose Mourinho running on the pitch at the full-time whistle with one finger in the air Inter have two major injury doubts ahead of Champions League semi-final second leg Inter Milan hope captain and star striker Lautaro Martinez will be fit for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final with Barcelona Martinez missed Saturday’s 1-0 win over Verona with the hamstring issue sustained in the first leg against Barcelona last week He was forced off at half-time in Spain has been racing against the clock to prove his fitness Inter also hope to have Benjamin Pavard available The defender has not featured for Inter since limping off after just 15 minutes of a recent home loss to Roma Speaking about the fitness of Martinez and Pavard Inter boss Simeone Inzaghi said on Monday: "We'll decide tomorrow with the staff and the players Lautaro hasn't trained since the Barcelona match Mehdi Taremi is on standby to partner Marcus Thuram if Martinez is unable to return while Yann Bisseck can continue to fill in for Pavard as the right-sided central defender Hakan Calhanoglu is available after serving a domestic suspension and Nicolo Barella are all set to return to the starting XI after being left on the bench against Verona PSG handed major boost as injured star returns to training ahead of Arsenal clash Meal2Deal: on a mission to make food poverty history There is a decision to make at left-wing back between Federico Dimarco and Carlos Augusto as Inter attempt to contain in-form Lamine Yamal Inzaghi has said it is “impossible” to stop the wonderkid from getting on the ball but admits the instruction will be to double up on the winger "We have to try not to let him get the ball but it's impossible,” Inzaghi said in the pre-match press conference he's a tremendous talent; he's truly dangerous and everyone gives him the ball I was impressed by his quick thinking; he always knows what play to make." It took Inter Milan less than a minute to open the scoring with the visitors quickly exploiting the back of Barça's defense Denzel Dumfries returned from injury and sent in a cross that Marcus Thuram beautifully flicked with his back heel into the back of the net to put Inter in front Barcelona looked to respond but couldn't find a way to cut open Inter's low block Dumfries got on the end of a rebound and scored from short distance with an acrobatic finish to give the Italian side a two-goal lead When the game—and arguably the semifinals—looked lost for the Catalans, Lamine Yamal appeared. The 17-year-old crowned his 100th appearance for Barcelona with a dazzling solo goal dribbling past defenders and firing a shot to the far post that put Barça within one in the 24th minute The hosts began overwhelming Inter until Pedri found Raphinha inside the box as the Brazilian headed the ball back to a charging Ferran Torres for the equalizer before halftime Dumfries continued his stellar performance and once again scored from a corner kick to restore Inter Milan's lead in the 64th minute Barça responded from a corner kick of their own playing a low pass to Raphinha who fired a rocket from distance that hit the post and then rebounded off Yann Sommer into the back of the net Despite both teams having chances during the final half-hour of the match leaving it all to play for in the second leg at San Siro to determine who will advance to the Champions League final SUB: Andreas Christensen (83' for Cubarsí) Jules Kounde had already been one of Barcelona’s best players It was extra time in an already intense match Taking advantage of Ferran Torres’ substitution for Pau Victor He crouched down and then put his hands on his knees But he had enough strength left to become the unexpected hero throwing himself onto the fans who had carried them on their shoulders in Seville They were on the verge of taking the first step towards their goal: the treble Barcelona ended up winning a match in which they were superior in the first half but were overwhelmed in the second after Kylian Mbappe came on they failed to take advantage and went into the break with only a one-goal lead courtesy of Pedri after great individual play by Lamine Yamal Mbappe scored the first and Aurelien Tchouameni scored the second They were pushed on by their half of the stadium They never stopped believing and had the ability to overcome a series of challenges even when they were behind on the scoreboard This is not the first time they have done that this season Take the win against Benfica in the Champions League group stage as an example After Ronald Araujo and Marc-Andre ter Stegen lifted the cup amid golden confetti and Queen’s ‘We Are the Champions’ each wearing their chosen accessories: Yamal with two pairs of sunglasses and his new blond hair Marc Casado wrapped in the net in which Kounde scored the goal The first bars of Coldplay’s ‘Viva la Vida’ rang out and Barcelona’s fans went wild possibly more than half of the players didn’t know why Some because they weren’t in Barcelona in 2009 others because they were less than five years old That Coldplay song was the soundtrack to Pep Guardiola’s treble The message was clear: this Barcelona team has a special aura once again They won the Spanish Super Cup in January against Real Madrid — who they have scored 12 goals against in three games this season — they have now won the Copa del Rey and they are in the semi-finals of the Champions League We shall find out in the coming weeks what happens in the European competition when they face Inter And what is most surprising is that there is talk of a treble in April considering that this season was supposed to be a transitional one Flick arrived at Barcelona after Xavi Hernandez’s traumatic departure sacking him a month after officially confirming his contract renewal The German’s presentation press conference did not take place for months because Flick wanted to show respect to Xavi and also calm things down before starting his spell on the Barcelona bench This team have not just gone through a few adversities There have been many summers of financial juggling to alleviate a deep financial crisis that prevented them from signing players at will and even registering those they did sign And Olmo and Victor were the only players Barcelona were able to sign Olmo and Victor could be registered until December because Andreas Christensen was injured It took a precautionary measure from the Superior Sports Council There was discontent among other clubs and La Liga itself While they watched Real Madrid finally sign Mbappe they had to face the season with teenagers and those in their early 20s but a young one with no experience in big games There was also no concept of whether they were cut out to play in finals While these on-pitch issues have been going on with no clear date set for their return to Camp Nou Barcelona have overcome all these difficulties during the season displaying some of the best football seen in the city in a long time several club sources all point to the same person responsible: Flick He arrived in Barcelona with very clear ideas and a well-defined working structure He relieved the players of the heavy pressure they were carrying on their shoulders by reminding them that it is only football and that they were there to enjoy themselves “We are a family and it shows,” a source in the dressing room who asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships The past and Barcelona’s difficulties in beating Madrid in finals has no place “The mentality the players have is fantastic. When I saw how they came back again… It was incredible. Jules did it. It’s a perfect evening,” Flick said at his press conference “I told Ronald (Araujo) in the hotel: if they score one or two goals We’ve proven it,” Yamal told Barca One after the match still wearing two pairs of sunglasses with his shirt back to front Fans who don’t understand shades of grey and are either very pessimistic or very optimistic fans travelled to Seville en masse with widespread optimism but many others without tickets travelled to the city El Clasico could add excitement to the La Liga run-in if Madrid win or it could seal the title for Flick’s team Inter are a rock-solid defensive team and have qualities that do not favour Barcelona’s style of play The problems the team have had this season have been against opponents who play like Inter the team showed some defensive problems in the second half The defender is working to return for the first leg He helps in the build-up play because he is able to break through the opposition’s first line of defence very easily Robert Lewandowski is a notable absentee and is expected to return for the second leg in Milan Torres is performing well and putting up decent numbers this season but when the Poland international is not there The players are also starting to show signs of fatigue and the team is feeling it but he still has two difficult challenges ahead of him: winning the league and winning the Champions League today the team is resting after the celebration party they had at the hotel in Seville with their families and friends which continues to inspire them to achieve their third treble in their history (Top photo: Josep Lago/AFP via Getty Images) It can be difficult to figure out where to watch Champions League matches depending on where you live especially since viewing options often change week to week our guide can help you watch every match from anywhere There are free options for all the biggest matchups including the second leg of the semifinals which masks your location to get around region blocks and greatly improves your online security and privacy in general A VPN will also unlock multiple free Champions League match live streams each week as numerous markets around Europe feature free games on local channels We've extensively tested VPNs and international streaming options and regularly browse dozens of TV guides to ensure we're bringing you the most up-to-date information And if we present an option to subscribe to a cheaper subscription service that offers every game it's because we've put our own money down to check that it works while the US has the cheapest access to Champions League live streams of every game you'll struggle to subscribe without a US bank account There are no such problems with Stan Sport in Australia and it's much cheaper than TNT Sport in the UK UK (every game): TNT Sport on Discovery+ (£30.99/pm)  Australian streaming service Stan includes a 30-day free trial for the required baseline tier (usually $10-$21 a month) but the Stan Sport add-on is billed at $15 immediately for a month's access There are some fantastic free Champions League live streams each week around Europe but every match of this week's quarter-finals is available for free you can still watch by using a VPN to prevent the website from detecting your location and blocking you The VPN mimics the required country for your viewing device and lets you watch along for free We've tested this ourselves for lots of live sports Then get stuck in and enjoy these free Champions League live streams *You'll need to create a free account to watch RTL Club TNT Sport is the home of most of the Champions League action in the UK just like last season under the Discovery+ service If you've been accessing it as a part of a BT TV subscription you might have had an email about the change last season If you don't have TNT Sport, you can sign up for Discovery Plus Premium (the cheaper tiers don't include live sport) for £30.99 a month You can also select it as part of a BT broadband bundle You might find watching it through Amazon Prime Video means you can enjoy Champions League live streams across more devices and streaming sticks is much better for Prime Video than Discovery Pro tip: If you want a cheaper option than TNT you might want to try Australia's Stan Sport as you can subscribe with a UK bank account for less than half what it costs for TNT (we've tested this ourselves) You will need a VPN to access the site and Champions League live streams outside Australia The Champions League is a Stan Sport exclusive in Australia So you'll need to sign up for Stan and then add Stan Sport as an add-on The cheapest setup is $27 a month (for Stan Basic at $12 and Sport at $15) it comes with a 30-day free trial first for the baseline tier - you'll still pay $15 for the Sport add-on from the off Stan Basic only streams in standard definition but Stan Sport's content will stream in up to 4K so you might as well go Basic if you're just getting it for sport if you want to check out the TV shows and movies too HD is $16 a month/$21 for 4K (then add $15 for Sport) If you're eying up this option via a VPN as a cheaper alternative to your country's Champions League streaming service We were able to pay with a UK bank card and have full access to the streaming service You could also use a travel card like Revolut to pay in local currency so you don't get a foreign transaction fee from your bank This is where 'soccer' being so far down the rankings of the most popular sports in the USA really pays off for viewers who want to enjoy the most prestigious competition in club football You'll find every last Champions League game live streaming on Paramount Plus from just $7.99 a month or $59.99 a year (you wouldn't get two months of action for that annual price in the UK!) you can opt for the cheapest Paramount Plus tier and still get the Champions League despite it not having CBS but nowhere near as many as Paramount Plus.  If you set up Paramount Plus while already living in the US and are traveling abroad A VPN will indeed let you tune in like you were still in the US you won't be able to access the US version's content with those same login credentials via a VPN on the app or the US website as they're essentially different apps and services in each country which will allow one login to work anywhere via a VPN.   If you're outside the US and want a US account Paramount Plus has made it difficult for outsiders to create one recently That's because you'll need a US form of payment and we've found international currency cards which must be verified by a US mobile phone number you can enjoy the best value Champions League live streams in the world Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs OneFootball's home page Search Settings Sign In Sign InJoinOlmo: Barcelona dressing room ‘like a party’ youngsters ‘relaxed’ ahead of Inter clash | OneFootballFootball Italia Dani Olmo revealed that Barcelona’s youngest players are feeling ‘relaxed’ and ‘having fun’ just hours before a decisive Champions League clash against Inter — a match that could send the Blaugrana to their first final since 2015 Hansi Flick’s side heads to San Siro following a thrilling 3-3 draw in the first leg but there’s no sign of anxiety in the camp Olmo acknowledges that the squad is well aware of the importance of the week ahead with a La Liga showdown against Real Madrid coming up at the weekend SEVILLE, SPAIN – APRIL 26: Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha of FC Barcelona look on prior to the Copa del Rey Final match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at Estadio de La Cartuja on April 26 Olmo looks likely to get a starting spot tomorrow against the Nerazzurri after playing more than 60 minutes last week “We’re back in shape, and I see the team well-prepared, energetic, and motivated,” Olmo said at a pre-match press conference, as quoted by Football-Espana We’re one game away from reaching another final… We’ll think about the Real Madrid game later “I don’t want to give you a headline… but it’s like a party in the dressing room BARCELONA, SPAIN – APRIL 30: Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Semi Final First Leg match between FC Barcelona and FC Internazionale Milano at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on April 30, 2025 in Barcelona “The youngsters don’t give the situation as much importance as they should Inter captain Lautaro Martínez is expected to recover in time for the decider and make the starting XI, while Benjamin Pavard has been left out of the squad after experiencing discomfort in his injured ankle during Monday’s training session Meanwhile, Flick confirmed that Robert Lewandowski will be available ‘from the bench’ Related News‘If they double up on him’… Dani Olmo reveals the benefit of Inter Milan heavily marking 17-year-old Barcelona winger RFEF president opens up on Dani Olmo registration case – ‘A top professional’ “We don’t have to change anything,” says Olmo as Barça just 90 minutes away from UEFA Champions League final ‘I don’t want to give you a headline, the Barcelona dressing room is like a party’ – Dani Olmo Olmo talks Lamine, Flick, La Masia, registration ahead of Inter Milan vs Barcelona 4️⃣ things to look out for in the Champions League this week The Champions League returns with a bang this week as the finalists will be determined following some tense first leg action.Here is what to look out for...⚔️ Match of the... 📽 Ten years ago: was this Messi’s most iconic goal? This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.And time stood still...There are goals that you forget, and then there are... Arsenal get major injury boost for Champions League showdown with PSG With nine changes to the side that drew 3-3 with Inter on Wednesday Barça survived a scare at the ground of the bottom-ranked team in La Liga and are coming home from Valladolid with three crucial points that inch them a little bit closer to the domestic championship The home side scored early and it wasn’t until the second half that the blaugrana machine really started working with goals in quick succession from Raphinha and Fermin Lopez turning things around to put seven points between themselves and Real Madrid who host Celta tomorrow and come to the Estadi Olimpic next weekend There was a very different look to the Barça line-up, starting in goal with Marc ter Stegen making a welcome comeback after an absence of 223 days And the German clearly hasn’t lost any of his brilliance in his time off the pitch making a number of key contributions to today’s win And with Tuesday’s UCL return leg in Milan in mind coach Hansi Flick opted to start without several of his big names with Dani Rodriguez of Barça Atlétic making his debut on the right of a threesome alongside Ansu Fati and Fermin Lopez with Pau Victor as the out-and-out striker He was forced to retire with a dislocated shoulder but they were keen to leave La Liga with a bang It looked like more of a cross than a shot from Iván Sánchez but it took a slight deflection off Ronald Araujo and looped over Ter Stegen’s head and into the net A top save from Ter Stegen prevented the home side from extending their lead before Barça finally started to assert their presence and for the rest of the first half André Ferreira was very much the busier of the two goalkeepers Barça were lacking their usual shape and rhythm Raphinha came on for the second time and within minutes had already made an impact pouncing on a rebound and firing Barça right back into the game The spark that was lacking in the first half was back in full force and six minutes later a lovely team move ended with Fermin Lopez unmarked in the middle of the area and able to drive Barça into the lead Dani Olmo almost curled in a lovely free kick… The three points may have looked done and dusted but the one-goal cushion wasn’t a comfortable one Valladolid still felt they could get something out of the game and caused the Barça defence some moments of alarm on the counter attack A crucial late tackle from Araujo and some solid work from Ter Stegen kept the late trouble away had come from behind to claim all three points.