Hansi Flick’s charges are chasing a historic treble. Barcelona have already taken a major step towards it by taking down Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final and now they will be looking to book a place in the UEFA Champions League final when they go up against Inter Milan in this two-legged semi-final.
Barcelona will play host in the first leg at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, and they will be eager to get a positive result at home. The Blaugrana are leading the La Liga title race, and they have the Copa del Rey title in the bag. However, the hosts still have a lot to play for. A win in this fixture could go a long way in helping them reach the final.
The home side will certainly be confident about their chances, having secured an emphatic win over Real Madrid last time out. While the team in white did have the upper hand in the second half, Flick’s side held firm and eventually secured victory in extra time.
Meanwhile, the visitors have been playing some exceptional football under Simeone Inzaghi. While the Nerazzurri have done most things right throughout the season, things have o’t been that great for them of late. They were knocked out of the Coppa Italia semi-final by AC Milan, and back-to-back league defeats have seen them slip from the top of the Serie A table. They now trail league leaders Napoli by three points.
Inter Milan are heading into this fixture on the back of a 1-0 defeat at the hands of AS Roma, and they will certainly put up a much better performance to stand a chance against the Catalan giants. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
While Marc-Andre ter Stegen is back in contention, he is unlikely to start in this all-important fixture. Meanwhile, Robert Lewandowski remains out injured alongside Marc Casado and Marc Bernal.
However, Hansi Flick is hoping to have Alejandro Balde available for this fixture. If he fails to make it back in time, Gerard Martin will continue at left-back. Flick will stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation, where Wojciech Szczesny will continue in goal. Jules Kounde and Martin could be the full-backs while Pau Cubarsi could partner with Inigo Martinez at the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Frenkie De Jong and Pedri will form the double pivot in the middle of the park. They will look to ensure they control the tempo of the game and have the majority of the ball.
Dani Olmo will take up the number ten role, while Lamine Yamal and Raphinha will continue to feature on the flanks. Meanwhile, Ferran Torres will be leading the line for Barcelona against Inter Milan with Lewandowski still out injured.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Martin; De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Torres
Benjamin Pavard’s availability is a major doubt after he sprained his ankle on Sunday. Meanwhile, Inter Milan do have a boost as Denzel Dumfries and Piotr Zielinski are both back available to take on Barcelona after an injury layoff.
Alessandro Bastoni and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who were suspended in their last outing, are expected to start here. Meanwhile, Marcus Thuram could be a part of the starting XI despite having missed their last three fixtures.
The visitors will line up in a 3-5-2 formation, where Yann Sommer will be in goal. The back three will be made up of Yann Aurel Bisseck, Francesco Acerbi and Alessandro Bastoni. They will look to keep things tight at the back against one of the best attacks in Europe and will receive significant support from Denzel Dumfries and Federico Dimarco, who will feature as the wing-backs.
In the centre of the park, Nicolo Barella should start alongside Hakan Calhanoglu and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. The trio will look to ensure that Barcelona midfielders do not dominate the proceedings. Finally, Marcus Thuram should partner star striker and club captain Lautaro Martinez, who has scored a goal in each of his last five UEFA Champions League outings.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martinez, Thuram
The Brazilian international is enjoying the season of his life, as he has been involved in a total of 12 Champions League games and has contributed towards 19 goals (12 goals, 7 assists). He could end up breaking Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for most goal contributions in a season (22 G/A in 2013/14).
The 28-year-old has 53 goal contributions in 50 appearances this season. Given the form he is in, Inter Milan will certainly find it difficult to stop him. Raphinha averages a goal every 85 minutes in the Champions League, making him a major threat for the visiting side.
Barcelona have been sensational under Hansi Flick this season. The Blaugrana are heading into this fixture on the back of a massive win over Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final, and they will be eager to build on that momentum. They have enough firepower in their ranks to get the desired result here.
While Inter Milan have been impressive in the UEFA Champions League and possess enough quality to trouble the Catalan giants, their recent dip in form could hurt their chances. Not only were they knocked out of the Coppa Italia last week, but they have dropped important points in their pursuit of the Serie A title.
With the home crowd behind them and their key players firing on all cylinders, Barcelona are expected to secure a comfortable win here. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-0 win for the home team in the first leg.
