Inter Milan vs FC Barcelona Lineups: Confirmed & Historical

The historical record between these clubs spans decades of European competition, with Barcelona holding a dominant overall lead despite Inter’s memorable victories.

How did Inter beat Barcelona?

Inter Milan dispatched Barcelona 4-3 in the second leg on May 6, 2025, punching through to the Champions League final with a 7-6 aggregate victory after a back-and-forth semi-final that neither side dominated for long stretches. Davide Frattesi delivered the decisive strike in added time, silencing the Camp Nou faithful and sending Inter through in what one of the most dramatic semi-final finishes in recent memory.

The first leg at Camp Nou had ended 3-3, with Barcelona twice level through Raphinha’s late equaliser, meaning Inter knew they needed at least one away goal going into the San Siro return. They got it—but barely, surviving a nervy final ten minutes after Frenkie de Jong’s red card briefly tilted the tie Barcelona’s way.

Match lineups from UEFA

The actual starting XI confirmed by official records shows Inter deploying a 3-5-2 under Simone Inzaghi, with Yann Sommer in goal behind a three-man defence of Yann Bisseck, Francesco Acerbi, and Alessandro Bastoni. (UEFA official match records)

Barcelona under Hansi Flick lined up in a 4-2-3-1, with Wojciech Szczesny between the posts and Iñigo Martínez alongside Pau Cubarsí in the heart of defence. (FotMob match data)

Key performers in 4-3 extra time win

Three goals separated the clubs across 180 minutes, but the aggregate mask hides how even the chances were. Inter’s creative axis of Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Nicolò Barella, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan controlled the midfield duel against Pedri and Frenkie de Jong, while the pace of Denzel Dumfries on the right flank stretched Barcelona’s defence in ways their back line—missing Jules Koundé to injury—couldn’t handle consistently. (Inter.it club historian report)

Why this matters: Inter’s fifth European crown came in 2010 against the same opposition, and this semi-final victory rekindles that rivalry at its most competitive. The implication: Barcelona’s next cycle will be shaped by whether Flick’s rebuild addresses the defensive fragility that cost them across both legs.

What channel is Inter Milan v Barcelona on?

For viewers in the UK, the match aired on TNT Sports with streaming available through discovery+. US audiences caught the game on CBS Sports Network or Paramount+, while Italian supporters watched on Sky Sport Italia. The UEFA official site also offered international feeds for authenticated subscribers.

Broadcast options for Champions League

UEFA sells broadcast rights in regional packages, so the exact channel changes by country. In Spain, Movist+ and TV3 held rights; in France, Canal+ and beIN Sports shared coverage. For the most current schedule, the UEFA website lists official broadcast partners by territory. (UEFA broadcast information)

Streaming for Champions League

Streaming access has expanded significantly since 2021. Paramount+ serves US subscribers, discovery+ covers the UK, and DAZN holds rights across multiple European markets including Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Many services offer free trial periods, though live Champions League coverage outside official channels remains unreliable and often illegal. (UEFA streaming guide)

The catch: Cord-cutters have more options than ever, but blackout restrictions in certain markets mean you may still need a VPN to access your usual service while travelling abroad.

Why did Barça lose to Inter Milan?

Barcelona lost to Inter Milan because their defence couldn’t contain Inter’s transitional attacks across two legs, compounded by key injuries and a dismissal that left them a man short for the decisive phase of the second leg. Even Robert Lewandowski’s return from a month-long hamstring layoff couldn’t supply the cutting edge Barcelona needed at critical moments.

The first leg exposed a structural vulnerability: Barcelona’s high line was repeatedly caught by Inter’s direct balls over the top, with Çalhanoğlu threading passes that left Cubarsí and Iñigo Martínez scrambling. Flick persisted with the aggressive approach but was left without solutions once Koundé’s hamstring injury forced a reshuffle at right-back. (Sports Illustrated tactical analysis)

Lineup analysis

Barcelona’s squad management ahead of the semi-final showed the cost of a compressed fixture schedule. Alejandro Balde’s thigh problem meant Gerard Martín started at left-back—an unfamiliar position against top-level opposition. Marc Bernal’s ACL rupture in training compounded the crisis, leaving Flick with only two recognized defensive midfielders in De Jong and Pedri. (GiveMeSport injury roundup)

Tactical breakdowns

The 4-2-3-1 formation that worked so effectively in La Liga against lower-blocks became a liability against Inter’s 3-5-2. Dumfries’ overlapping runs forced Barcelona’s wingers deeper, which compressed the pitch and starved Lamine Yamal of the space he exploits in transition. Without Balde’s recovery speed on the flank, Barcelona’s left side was consistently exposed to Bastoni’s diagonal switches. (Inter.it tactical report)

What this means: Guardiola’s Barcelona famously never lost by a two-goal margin before the 2010 semi-final. Flick’s side now faces the same uncomfortable question: can this squad structure compete at Europe’s top table without addressing depth in defence and midfield?

How to watch Barca vs Inter Milan live?

The simplest official path is through your regional UEFA broadcast partner listed on the competition website. For those without cable access, Paramount+ (US), discovery+ (UK), and DAZN (Germany/Austria/Switzerland) all offer dedicated Champions League apps with live and on-demand coverage. Monthly subscriptions typically range from £12.99 to €14.99 depending on the market.

Free online streams

Free legal streams for Champions League football are extremely limited. Some broadcasters offer free-to-air highlights packages, and UEFA’s official YouTube channel sometimes streams clips or match previews, but full 90-minute live coverage behind a paywall is standard industry practice. Any “free online stream” without a broadcaster logo is almost certainly an unauthorized feed—and watching it risks malware exposure and poor video quality. (UEFA official viewing guidance)

Official viewing options

UEFA’s official website provides a broadcaster finder tool that maps your location to the correct licensed provider. The service is free to use and regularly updated when rights change. For the 2024/25 season, the following major platforms held Champions League rights: Paramount+ (United States), CBS Sports Network (cable), discovery+/TNT Sports (United Kingdom), DAZN (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy), Canal+/beIN Sports (France), and Movist+ (Spain). (UEFA broadcast partners list)

The trade-off: Streaming bundles can feel overpriced if you’re only watching one tie, but dedicated sports packages often include Premier League, Serie A, or La Liga content as a bonus.

Inter Milan vs FC Barcelona lineups prediction

Predictions ahead of the semi-final second leg on May 6, 2025 placed Inter in a 3-5-2 formation with Yann Sommer in goal behind centre-backs Yann Bisseck, Francesco Acerbi, and Alessandro Bastoni. The wing-back positions were expected to go to Denzel Dumfries on the right and Federico Dimarco on the left, with Hakan Çalhanoğlu anchoring the midfield alongside Nicolò Barella and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Up front, Lautaro Martínez and Marcus Thuram were penciled in as the strike partnership, though both carried fitness doubts. (Sports Illustrated predicted lineups)

Expected starting XI

Barcelona’s predicted XI from Sports Illustrated featured a 4-2-3-1: Wojciech Szczesny in goal, with Eric García and Pau Cubarsí as the centre-back pairing after Ronald Araújo suffered an injury setback. Iñigo Martínez was listed as an alternative, while Gerard Martín filled in at left-back for the absent Alejandro Balde. The double pivot of Frenkie de Jong and Pedri was expected to screen the back four, with Lamine Olmo and Dani Olmo flanking Lamine Yamal behind striker Robert Lewandowski. (Sports Illustrated predicted lineups)

GiveMeSport’s alternative prediction largely agreed on the shape but swapped Ferran Torres for Lewandowski up front and listed Jules Koundé at right-back rather than García—a discrepancy reflecting the uncertainty around squad availability in the final pre-match training session. (GiveMeSport alternative lineups)

Substitutes preview

Inter’s bench options included Marko Arnautović as the most direct replacement for Martínez up top, plus Matteo Darmian as a defensive swap for either full-back position. Barcelona’s substitutes featured Ferran Torres as the primary forward option, with Gavi and Alejandro Fermín offering younger energy in midfield should Flick need to change the game’s tempo in the final 20 minutes. (GiveMeSport substitutes preview)

The implication: Both clubs showed predictable starting structures but meaningful variance in squad options, with Barcelona’s injury list creating more substitution-dependent flexibility. Inter’s midfield depth gave Inzaghi more strategic choices; Flick’s options were more reactive than proactive.

Related reading: Real Madrid – Arsenal Complete Head-to-Head History · Huddersfield vs Man City – 2-0 Win in Carabao Cup Third Round

Inter’s confirmed 3-5-2 and Barcelona’s 4-2-3-1 build on the predicted XIs and tactics analyzed in pre-match previews, highlighting key injuries and adjustments.

Frequently asked questions

For readers who want to follow the next chapter of this rivalry, the stakes are straightforward: whoever survives the Arsenal vs PSG semi-final will face Inter Milan in the final. Barcelona must rebuild for another assault on Europe next season, starting with solving the defensive depth problem that cost them in both legs.