Barcelona and Inter Milan are set to clash in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal tie on Wednesday. Barcelona enters the match in strong form, having recently secured the Copa del Rey and maintaining their pursuit of a treble. In contrast, Inter is looking to bounce back after a Coppa Italia defeat and losing their top spot in Serie A.
Inter`s recent form is concerning; they`ve failed to score in their last three matches across all competitions, conceding five goals. A key factor in this dip is the absence of striker Marcus Thuram, who has been sidelined with an injury. However, there`s positive news as Thuram returned to training on Tuesday and is now anticipated to start against Barcelona. His potential return, even if not fully fit, is a significant boost for Inter. His dynamic partnership with Lautaro Martinez is crucial for creating space and providing a potent attacking threat.
On the Barcelona side, they will be without their star striker Robert Lewandowski due to injury. Despite this absence, manager Hansi Flick has strong attacking alternatives. Ferran Torres is likely to play upfront, potentially combining effectively with Dani Olmo. The primary threats are expected to come from the wings, particularly Raphinha and Lamine Yamal.
Raphinha has had an outstanding season, contributing significantly with 30 goals and 23 assists. Remarkable for a 17-year-old, Yamal has also been highly productive, netting 14 goals and providing 24 assists. While Lewandowski`s absence is a blow, Barcelona will find opportunities against an Inter side that has conceded a fair number of shots in the Champions League this term. A higher-scoring game would likely benefit Barcelona, though Thuram`s participation could alter the dynamic.
With the first leg being held in Spain, the pressure is on Inter to improve their recent performance. Their defense faces further challenges as Benjamin Pavard is also expected to miss the match. While Barcelona`s high defensive line might offer Inter some attacking chances, it might not be sufficient for the Italian team to match Barcelona`s threat.
Predicted lineups
Barcelona XI: Wojciech Szczesny, Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo, Pau Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez, Pedri, Gavi, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Raphinha, Ferran Torres
Inter XI: Yann Sommer; Yann Bisseck, Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Bastoni; Denzel Dumfries, Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu, Henrik Mkhitaryan, Federico Dimarco; Lautaro Martinez, Mehdi Taremi
Match Information and Odds
- Date: Wednesday, April 30
- Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys — Barcelona, Spain
- Live stream: Paramount+
- Odds: FC Barcelona -165; Draw +300; Inter +425
