Barcelona faces Inter Milan today in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal tie. The match pits Barcelona's prolific attack against Inter Milan's strong defense.
Barcelona approaches the game following a victory over Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday. Hansi Flick's side aims for a potential treble this season.
Inter Milan enters the contest on a run of poor form, including three straight losses without scoring. The team recently lost ground in Serie A and exited the Coppa Italia. Despite recent struggles, Inter holds a tournament-best eight clean sheets in the Champions League this season.
The tactical clash centers on Barcelona's high defensive line and attacking press versus Inter Milan's disciplined, rotating defense and measured buildup play. Barcelona leads the competition with 37 goals scored, while Inter has conceded just five.
The clubs have a history in the Champions League, including a notable 2010 semifinal won by Inter. More recently, the teams played to a thrilling 3-3 draw in the group stage in October 2022.
Barcelona will be without striker Robert Lewandowski due to injury, targeting a return for the second leg. Alejandro Balde might return at left-back. Inter Milan's Marcus Thuram is a doubt after missing recent matches with a thigh injury, though he traveled with the squad. Lautaro Martinez leads the Inter attack.
Before the final four stage, the Opta supercomputer gave Inter a slightly higher chance of reaching the final than Barcelona. Following the other semifinal first leg and Inter's recent form, projections now give Paris Saint-Germain the highest chance of winning the trophy, followed by Barcelona, then Inter, and Arsenal.
In the other Champions League semifinal first leg played Tuesday, Paris Saint-Germain defeated Arsenal 1-0.
The second legs are scheduled for next week. Inter Milan will host Barcelona at San Siro on Tuesday.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick addressed his team's mindset after the Copa del Rey win. "What I can see is that everyone is focused on this match, that everyone knows how important it is to be able to go to the Champions League final," he said.
