Match preview for Barcelona v Inter

Barcelona and Inter Milan are set to square off in the Champions League semi-final for the first time in 15 years.

Back in 2010, Inter were the victors and went on to win the title under Jose Mourinho. This time, Barcelona are aiming for redemption and a shot at silverware against either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain in the final.

Under the guidance of Hansi Flick, Barcelona are enjoying their best European campaign in nearly a decade. It’s been ten years since they last reached the Champions League final, where they lifted their fifth title in 2015.

After finishing second behind Liverpool in the new league stage, the Catalan club dismissed Benfica in the round of 16. In the quarter-finals, they thrashed Borussia Dortmund 4-0 at home before a 3-1 loss in Germany, which didn’t prevent their progress to the semis.

Having also built a four-point cushion atop La Liga, the Blaugrana have won 23 of their last 28 games, suffering just one defeat -away to Dortmund.

However, Inter’s 15-match unbeaten run at home in the Champions League poses a serious challenge. Moreover, the Spanish side haven’t beaten Inter in their last two meetings.

Having finished level on points with Barcelona during the league phase, Inter breezed past Feyenoord and then ended Bayern Munich’s hopes in the quarter-finals.

It’s Champions League week 🍿 pic.twitter.com/8VqI4fasPH

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 28, 2025

Simone Inzaghi’s team have only lost twice in their past 20 Champions League outings.

Though less prolific than Barcelona, Inter have relied on their defensive stability. They’ve scored 19 goals and conceded just five, keeping eight clean sheets in the process.

However, their recent domestic form has been underwhelming.

After a last-minute loss to Bologna snapped a 13-match unbeaten run, Inter were eliminated from the Coppa Italia by AC Milan, and then fell 1-0 to Roma.

These back-to-back league defeats have seen them slip to second in Serie A, trailing Napoli by three points with four games remaining.

Team news for Barcelona v Inter

Barcelona remain without Robert Lewandowski due to a hamstring issue, which could also rule him out of the return leg.

Left-back Alejandro Balde is a doubt, with Gerard Martin potentially continuing in his place.

Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen is fit again but Wojciech Szczesny is likely to retain his spot.

Inter’s hopes will rest heavily on captain Lautaro Martinez, who has scored in each of his last five Champions League games and surpassed the 20-goal mark in the competition.

Strike partner Marcus Thuram is racing to recover from a thigh injury, and there are question marks over defender Benjamin Pavard, who injured his ankle on Sunday.

However, Denzel Dumfries and Piotr Zielinski are back in action.

Alessandro Bastoni and Henrikh Mkhitaryan are both expected to return after serving suspensions.

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐘 𝐓𝐎 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐘 💫#ForzaInter #UCL #BarcelonaInter pic.twitter.com/O6qvFKyL7D

— Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter_en) April 29, 2025

Expected line-ups for Barcelona v Inter

Barcelona: Szczesny; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Martin; De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Torres

Inter Milan: Sommer; Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martinez, Thuram

How to watch Barcelona v Inter: TV channel, online stream

Barcelona v Inter will kick-off at 20:00 on Wednesday night and is available to watch on TNT Sports 1. Fans in the UK can also watch the match on the discovery+ app.

The stats for Barcelona v Inter

Prediction

The Spanish giants are unbeaten in six home Champions League matches against Inter, and their form suggests they can secure a strong first-leg advantage.

With Inter struggling both in form and fitness, particularly away from home, the Blaugrana seem likely to get ahead before travelling to the San Siro.

Prediction: Barcelona 2-1 Inter