Hakan Calhanoglu drilled a snooker shot into the near bottom corner to give Inter the shock victory over on-form Barcelona, putting them in pole position to qualify for the Champions League knockouts.
This was a head-to-head for second place, as both went in on three points behind runaway leaders Bayern Munich. Recent domestic form was wildly different, Barça winning six on the bounce, while the Nerazzurri lost four in the same period.
Romelu Lukaku and Marcelo Brozovic were still injured, but Lautaro Martinez started despite a muscular twinge, while Memphis Depay, Frenkie de Jong, Hector Bellerin, Ronald Araujo and Jules Koundé didn’t make the trip.
The Blaugrana were almost allowed to dominate possession, as Inter focused on defend and counter, which almost paid off after six minutes when a Hakan Calhanoglu screamer from a huge distance was fingertipped over the bar by Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.
Barca continued to keep the ball and Inter created the chances, as Federico Dimarco’s volley was deflected off target.
There was controversy on 22 minutes when Garcia handled in the box, but a penalty was not given because Lautaro Martinez’s offside position was considered to be interfering with play.
Correa then had the ball in the net after running from the centre-circle, but he was offside.
The first genuine chance Barcelona created was Ousmane Dembele taking on Calhanoglu only to hit the side-netting.
Just before half-time, Inter broke the deadlock as Calhanoglu picked his spot from the edge of the box and put a perfect daisy-cutter into the near bottom corner.
Barcelona were very dangerous on the hour mark, as Dembele thumped the near post under pressure from Milan Skriniar.
The Blaugrana did get the ball in the net on 67 minutes when Onana flapped at a Dembele cross and Pedri was unmarked to tap in at the back post. However, it was disallowed following a VAR review because Ansu Fati handled the cross.
Gerard Pique made a decisive interception to take Nicolò Barella’s cross off the head of Edin Dzeko, while Denzel Dumfries managed to avoid accidentally deflecting a corner into his own net from point-blank range.
Sergio Busquets got his head to a Dembele free kick, but turned it wide from seven yards. There was controversy in stoppages, as Dumfries appeared to handle a cross when trying to head it away, but the images from a different angle suggest Ansu Fati did get his head to it and so there was no VAR on-field review.
Dembele’s cross whipped past Lewandowski, Onana and the far post by a matter of inches.
Inter 1-0 Barcelona
Calhanoglu 45 (I)
FC Internazionale degli Arbitri 1 Barcelona 0
Utter farce. The Doonfree handball was more blatant than the one on Barcelona’s disallowed goal – didn’t change direction of the ball. Travesty.
ForzaInter!
Nxt round UCL is not impossible!
Inter had 1 goal disallowed and 1 penalty due to handball not given due to marginal offside call and of course Rosario, you would know a thing about or two a bout penalties considering you root for a team that can only win by penalties
Inter did what was needed and when they had the ball, they used it with purpose. Barca are a more polished version of the 7/9. Instead of back, back, down, down, they adopt a sophisticated style of side, side and more side, side. It is what you do with the ball rather than going around in circles. Grande Don Beppe for finally mastering the dark arts of VAR in Europe after perfecting it at home.
Lord Inzaghi the grand patron of the 50% league loss shaolin handball soccer style has commented on his club’s article for the first time ever.
For someone who mentions Shaolin is a negative way, may I suggest I Kung Pao you in your arse. I bet you love it from behind.
Expect Uefalona to turn on the sprinklers again at Camp Nou, unless they need the water to flush all their Pity Potties…