Barcelona and Inter share six-goal thriller as ex-Man Utd star cruelly denied

BARCELONA 3-3 INTER MILAN: Hansi Flick’s side twice fought back from behind in a barnstorming Champions League semi-final first leg which is finely poised after a stunning night at the Nou Camp

Bleached-blonde Lamine Yamal lit up this Champions League tie as Barcelona came from behind twice against Inter Milan in a six-goal thriller.

The teenage sensation sparked the Spanish side’s first comeback with a stunning strike after a superb run. It came after Marcus Thuram had put Inter Milan ahead inside a minute with the quickest ever Champions League semi-final goal.

It was a superb flick from the Inter front man and the Serie A side’s lead was doubled in the 21st minute by Denzel Dumfries. Francesco Acerbi knocked down a corner and the Dutch full-back pulled off a spectacular volley from close range.

But then it turned into the Yamal show as the 17-year-old Spaniard – sporting bright blonde hair – showed his fancy footwork before curling one in off the post on his 100th appearance for Barcelona. Yamal then almost scored a second moments later as he had Inter’s defence rocking but keeper Yann Sommer pushed a strike from a tight angle onto the bar.

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The La Liga giants were level before the break as Ferran Torres – leading the line in the absence of the injured Robert Lewandowski – turned home. It was a brilliant move which saw Pedri curl a lovely cross to Raphinha, who selflessly nodded it down into Torres’ path.

The drama continued after the break as Dumfries got his second, this time from a corner after some poor defending from the hosts in the 64th minute. But it took Barcelona just seconds to level the tie again.

After a clever dummy from Yamal, Raphinha fizzed a strike which rattled the bar but bounced into the net off Inter keeper Sommer. Henrikh Mkhitaryan had a fourth for Inter ruled out because his toe was offside before Yamal hit the bar again late on.

The second leg at the San Siro next week promises to be something special.

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