Inter Milan completes magical comeback to shock Barcelona and earn ticket to Champions League final

• All-time great Champions League tie: After an all-time classic in the first leg that finished 3-3 last Wednesday in Spain, an even better match has taken place at the San Siro. Inter has shocked the world and beaten Barcelona 4-3 in extra-time! Ciao, Munich!

• More Champions League action: The winner tonight will move on the play either Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal, who play their second leg in the City of Light tomorrow night with PSG narrowly ahead 1-0 in the tie.

• Sigue nuestra cobertura en español: Si quiere seguir toda la acción del semifinal contra el Inter y el Barça en español, CNN en Español tiene cobertura en directo aquí.

After 120 minutes of pure drama, magical moments and stunning performances, there is only one thing we know for sure: few will be sleeping in Milan tonight.

Last week’s first leg – which finished 3-3 – was incredible, but somehow this return match was even better.

Inter Milan started far the stronger of the two sides and raced into a 2-0 lead at half-time through Lautaro Martínez’s opener and Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s penalty.

Barcelona looked way off it in the opening 45 minutes and knew it needed something special in the second half to get itself back into contention – and that’s exactly what the Spanish giant produced.

In less than six minutes, Barça had leveled the scoreline through Eric García’s fine finish and Dani Olmo’s header, as the San Siro was stunned into silence.

Then, with the Blaugrana dominating the ball, the visitors thought they had scored a late winner when Raphinha fired a shot into the bottom corner of the net in the 88th minute.

That seemed to be it, there was no way Inter could muster enough energy to find another goal and Barça fans must have started looking at flights to the final in Munich.

But then, in the 93rd minute, Francesco Acerbi sent Nerazzurri fans into a frenzy after smashing the ball into the roof of Barcelona’s net to level the scores.

Acerbi, 37, was in tears and pointed to the sky after scoring his first ever Champions League goal as mayhem played out around him.

Extra-time then loomed for both sides, but it was Inter who got the better of it, spurred on by the home support.

The winning goal came in the 99th minute after brilliant hold up play by striker Marcus Thuram, who laid the ball off to Davide Frattesi in the box. The midfielder kept his composure to guide his shot into the corner of the net to send the Italian side into dreamland.

“What happened? I don’t know! I celebrated so loudly that my head was spinning,” Frattesi said after the game.

But, naturally, Barça wasn’t done and almost found another equalizer in the final moments of extra-time. First, Robert Lewandowski headed just over the bar from a couple meters out, before Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer produced a world-class save to deny Lamine Yamal’s effort from nestling into the back of the net.

“I’m very happy, we played an incredible match. Which save will I remember? The last one on Lamine Yamal; he is a great player and, fortunately, it didn’t go in,” Player of the Match Sommer said.

“Many teams would have given up after going down 3-2, but we didn’t and managed to come back.”

After tonight’s win, you feel it was destiny for Inter Milan to reach the Champions League final where it will meet either PSG or Arsenal.

The second semifinal is set for Wednesday night and CNN Sports will be across all the action live once again.

Key Stat: This was the joint-highest scoring semifinal tie in Champions League history, along with Liverpool’s 7-6 win against Roma in 2018.

Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martínez will have the chance to right the wrongs of two years ago when he and the Italian side take the pitch in Munich, Germany for the Champions League final.

The Nerazzurri lost 1-0 to Manchester City in 2023 but will again be able to win a fourth European Cup and first since Jose Mourinho led the team to Champions League glory in 2010.

“Incredible. I’m so happy,” he told Prime Sport. “I’m thankful for my family, for everyone here. I’m proud of Inter.

“We’ll do everything we can, we have one last step left. Just as we reached Istanbul two years ago, today we’re in a final again. We did a great job, we just need to finish that last bit.

“We’ll prepare, finish our (domestic) championship, and then we’ll think about another final and try to take this club to the greatest heights.”

Martínez was a doubt for the second leg after going off injured in the first with an apparent hamstring issue.

The Argentine admitted he wasn’t at full fitness tonight, but said he was determined to play and help the team.

“The truth is I was really bad, really sad, but with the medical team and all the staff we did a great job,” Martínez revealed.

“Although I wasn’t at 100%, I wanted to be on the pitch with my teammates and thanks to God, they’ve given me this joy of returning to play in a Champion League final.”

Half a world away from the San Siro, some key moves were announced for next year’s World Cup – which will likely feature many of the players who were on the pitch tonight.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced new appointments to the task force that is coordinating preparations for the 2026 World Cup.

Trump announced that Andrew Giuliani, the son of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and a longtime Trump aide, will serve as the executive director of the Presidential Task Force on the 2026 World Cup. Carlos Cordeiro, a former president of US Soccer and currently a senior adviser at FIFA, will serve as Giuliani’s senior adviser.

Giuliani, who was a former gubernatorial candidate in New York, served in Trump’s first administration as a special assistant to the president and was associate director of the Office of Public Liaison. Trump noted that he helped coordinate the reentry of foreign professional athletes who ply their trade in the United States during the Covid-19 pandemic.

During the first meeting of the task force on Tuesday, Trump praised Giuliani as a competitive person and an accomplished golfer.

“He’s a highly competitive golfer, by which I mean really good,” Trump said. “And he’s also a highly competitive person, and he loves what we’re doing. So, I want to congratulate you and your family and your father, your great father, who’s the greatest mayor in the history of New York. So, I want to congratulate the family.”

He added with a laugh, “It’s a big post, you better do well, Andrew.”

The task force is largely made up of members of Trump’s Cabinet and Vice President JD Vance is serving as vice chairman. Other members of the task force include Sens. Shelley Moore Capito and Todd Young, Reps. Darin LaHood and Bryan Steil.

Incredible. Remarkable. Ridiculous. It seems unlikely that words will ever do justice to the tie we have just witnessed.

That was unquestionably one of the greatest Champions League ties in history. It might even be the greatest.

It had absolutely everything. There was a glut of goals, end-to-end action, comebacks for both teams, nerve-racking VAR reviews and a raucous atmosphere.

In a tie that had 13 goals, you probably wouldn’t expect the goalkeepers to get a shoutout, but Inter’s Yann Sommer made 14 saves across the two legs – and his 14th was perhaps the pick of the bunch.

The Swiss international strained every sinew to reach Lamine Yamal’s goal-bound effort in extra time and tip the ball around the post. Talk about saving your best ‘til last.

Another wonderful storyline in a wild semifinal came courtesy of Inter defender Francesco Acerbi, who scored the equalizer for Inter three minutes into added time.

At 37 years of age and after 20 seasons in professional soccer, Acerbi scored his first Champions League goal to send the game to extra-time and make himself an unlikely hero.

I’ve no idea how it happened, but Inter Milan has beaten Barcelona in one of the most amazing soccer matches ever.

This grand old stadium has seen some magical moments over the years, but few can compare to what it’s just witnessed over the last 120 minutes.

Inter players embrace each other in tears, while the Nerazzurri faithful go crazy in the stands.

Barcelona’s stars are stunned. Some can barely lift themselves off the turf. They were mere seconds away from the final before Inter launched one of the most incredible comebacks in Champions League history.

Stay tuned while we try break down what we’ve just seen.

Final score: Inter Milan 4-3 Barcelona (Aggregate: 7-6)

That is simply sensational from Inter Milan keeper Yann Sommer.

Lamine Yamal cuts in from the right and looks to curl a shot into the far corner. Most people in the San Siro thought it was heading in, but Sommer springs into action and tips the effort around the post.

That could be a game-winning stop. Less than five minutes left.

Score: Inter Milan 4-3 Barcelona (Aggregate 7-6)

Barça goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny has just produced a great save to keep his team in the game.

It looked as though Davide Frattesi was going to score almost a carbon copy of his goal at the other end of the pitch, but Szczęsny got down quickly to tip the ball behind for a corner.

What a tie we’re witnessing.

That was almost the equalizer for Barcelona!

Lamine Yamal sprung into life and teased a wonderful cross into the box. Robert Lewandowski looked set to head into the goal but somehow directs his effort over the bar.

A huge chance!

Score: Inter Milan 4-3 Barcelona (Aggregate 7-6)

Just 15 minutes left in extra-time of this incredible semifinal and who knows what is going to happen?

There are some saying this is the greatest Champions League tie in history and those people surely aren’t far off in their assessment.

Can Barcelona find another way back into this match?

Score: Inter Milan 4-3 Barcelona (Aggregate 7-6)

There must be some really tired legs out there, but Inter and Barcelona are still going for it.

Sometimes, you get the sense that both teams are just waiting for extra-time to end and playing for penalties – but that’s certainly not the case today.

The San Siro has been rocking since Davide Frattesi put Inter back in front and you would expect the second half of extra-time to be all Barcelona as Hansi Flick’s side go in search of another equalizer in this incredible tie.

Although, I’ve given up predicting what might happen next in this tie.

Score: Inter 4-3 Barcelona (Aggregate 7-6)

INCREDIBLE SCENES!

Inter Milan was just a few minutes from being knocked out of the Champions League and now it finds itself ahead in this stunning semifinal!

It was brilliant hold up play by striker Marcus Thuram who lays the ball off to Davide Frattesi. The midfielder keeps his composure in the box to guide his shot into the corner of the net.

The San Siro is rocking and it’s even started to rain. What drama!

Score: Inter Milan 4-3 Barcelona (Aggregate: 7-6)

Not much of a break for the players or for people writing a live story on the match…

We are underway in extra-time!

Enjoy the first 90 minutes? Luckily, we have another 30 minutes of extra-time to look forward to.

The referee brings regulation play to an end with the scores all level at 6-6 on aggregate.

It’s been a brilliant second half from Barcelona, but the visitor will be frustrated it couldn’t hold on for a few minutes at the end.

Inter Milan will be feeling energized now after looking like it was on the brink of being knocked out. What a thrilling 30 minutes we’re in for.

Score: Inter Milan 3-3 Barcelona (Aggregate: 6-6)

You’ll never believe it, but Inter Milan has found a last-minute equalizer out of nowhere!

It looked as though Barcelona had broken Inter hearts with that late Raphinha goal, but the host wasn’t finished.

Despite being second-best all second half, Inter’s Denzel Dumfries breaks through yet again and set up Francesco Acerbi who smashed his effort into the roof of the net.

At 37, Acerbi is the oldest player on the pitch and he can barely believe what he’s just done.

This is why we all love the Beautiful Game!

Score: Inter Milan 3-3 Barcelona (Aggregate 6-6)

Raphinha’s first effort is punched straight back to him by Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer, but the Brazil forward drills the ball into the bottom corner with his second shot to give Barcelona the lead with just a couple of minutes remaining.

There are five minutes of injury time added on. Can Barça hold on to reach the final?

Score: Inter 2-3 Barcelona (Aggregate 5-6)

It’s a cliché I know, but this really has been a game of two halves.

The first 45 minutes were all Inter Milan, with the home side limiting Barcelona to half chances.

But whatever was said to the Barça players at the break has worked because it’s been all them in the second half.

Inter players are struggling to deal with the occasion at the moment and it’s now just wave after wave of Blaugrana attacks.

Lamine Yamal almost produced something special just then, but his shot was well-saved.

A little more than 10 minutes remaining here, with extra-time looming.

Score: Inter Milan 2-2 Barcelona (Aggregate: 5-5)

An error at the back results in Henrikh Mkhitaryan bringing down Lamine Yamal, and referee Szymon Marciniak points to the penalty spot.

However, a brief VAR review shows Mkhitaryan first made contact with Yamal just outside the penalty area. And I mean just.

Even Marciniak makes a gesture with his fingers to indicate how small the margin was.

A collective sigh of relief is expelled inside the San Siro after the free kick comes to nothing.

We said Barcelona needed something special in this second half and the Blaugrana have certainly delivered.

In less than six minutes, Barça has scored two goals to level the tie – a repeat of what happened in the first leg!

There are now less than 30 minutes left of regulation time for one of these teams to score a winner, and one of these players to make themselves a hero.

Score: Inter Milan 2-2 Barcelona (Aggregate: 5-5)

Wow! What an incredible five minutes in Milan.

Gerard Martín is now causing Inter real trouble with his deliveries into the box, and he’s just whipped in another delightful cross for Dani Olmo to head home the equalizer for Barcelona!

That’s two assists in five minutes for the defender.

This game is following the same pattern as the first leg, with Inter taking a 2-0 lead and being pegged back on both occasions.

Score: Inter 2-2 Barcelona (Aggregate 5-5)

I was just about to write that Barcelona was yet to trouble this organized Inter defense – then up pops Eric García.

The defender wandered late into the box and caught Gerard Martín’s cross perfectly on his instep, firing the ball into the top corner.

Game on!

Score: Inter 2-1 Barcelona (Aggregate 5-4)