The Champions Blog #2.16

 THE CHAMPIONS BLOG 

The final for this season's Champions League has been determined as we are now just weeks away from the most enthralling and exciting game in European football this season. Over the two days, we were entertained to some of the best matches of the season in Milan and Paris, as those enthralling encounters have determined the finalists of this season Champions League. This is the Champions Blog. 

Tuesday 6th: 

Inter Milan vs Barcelona (San Siro, Milan, Italy)

The first of two semi finals took place in the fashion capital where two sides who just couldn't be separated last time out will finally be tonight. Barcelona took to the stage against Inter Milan in the esteemed San Siro, both of which have an equal chance of making the final. In the first leg, we had one of the games of the season, as Barca came from behind twice to seal an enthralling 3-3 draw, after coming back from 2-0 down. Barca's last Champions League final came 10 years ago when they defeated Juventus in another final in Germany, that time Berlin, while Inter's last final ended in heartbreak 2 years ago, when they fell short in Istanbul to Manchester City, losing 1-0 to a lone Rodri goal. Inter look to avenge that defeat and produce a positive result from this match and make their second final in three years. 

After 20 minutes with calm play, Inter Milan managed to hit front. Barca were playing some simple passing when Dani Olmo lost the ball to Federico Dimarco, who stole the ball and played a through ball to Denzel Dumfries, who passed to an open Lautaro Martínez who slotted the ball into an open net, making it 1-0 to Inter, putting them one foot into the final in Munich. Almost instantly, Barca almost found an equaliser when Pedri pulled the ball back across from the byline, which took a few touches on Francesco Acerbi, before falling into the path of Olmo, who hit the ball wide, letting Inter off the hook. Towards the end of the first half, Inter appealed for a penalty when Henrikh Mhkitaryan played a through ball to Martínez having a clear-on chance to score, but Pau Cubarsí last-minute tackle prevented the chance from happening. A while later, referee, Szymon Marciniak went to VAR to assess the foul, and a while later, awarded the penalty to Inter. Hakan Çalhanoğlu stepped up for the Nerazzuri and scored, slotting the ball into the bottom left corner, making it 2-0 to Inter on the stroke of halftime, putting Barca on the brink of another Champions League heartbreak.

However, one thing about Barcelona is that they never give up and always produce when it matters. Within less than 10 minutes into the second half, Pedri found an open Gerard Martín, whose initial cross was blocked by Yann Aurel Bisseck. The ball came back to the young full back, whose second cross met Eric García who scored a beautiful volley to make it 2-1 and put Barca back in the tie. Following a corner from Inter Milan, Barcelona pounced on a counter attack, making Barca 3 on 2 going into the Inter half. Martín found García in acres of space and made the extra pass to him; but Yann Sommer made an excellent save to deny the defender, and Barca's wait for an equaliser carried on. However, the wait for Barca's second didn't last long at all. Just three minutes after, Martín delivered another dangerous cross into the Inter penalty area, with Olmo meeting the cross with a close-range header finding the back of the net, making it 2-2 and completing the comeback. In the 77th minute, Barca came close to completing the turnaround and taking the lead for the first time in the tie, when Lamine Yamal danced around the edge of the Inter Milan penalty area, before unleashing a curling shot on goal which was brilliantly saved by Sommer. Finally, after almost the entire second half of trying, Barca finally got the goal they needed to make the final. 3 minutes from the end of normal time, Pedri found Raphinha on the edge of the Inter Milan penalty area, with the Brazilian winger taking a shot straight at Sommer. The Swiss keeper saved it but it fell back into the path of Raphinha, with the Brazilian smashing the ball into the bottom corner, making it 3-2 to Barcelona and putting them in touching distance of the final. Despite Barcelona potentially grabbing the winner, with only three minutes plus added time to go, the story in Milan wasn't over yet. Following one last chance to send the game to extra time, Inter Milan started to make a menacing counter attack. Thuram attempted to make a pass to Dumfries but it was only partially blocked by Martin, allowing Dumfries to take advantage. He skipped past Martin and played a low cross to find Francesco Acerbi, with the veteran crashing an unstoppable shot from close range, making it 3-3, sending the game to extra time and the San Siro in a state of rapture. 

Within just 9 minutes into extra time, Inter completely turned the tie on its head, when Davide Frattesi, who after Thuram made a fine play on. the right hand side, Mehdi Taremi made a short pass to Frattesi, who hit a shot low into the bottom left corner, making it 4-3 while the San Siro exploded to life once again. In the second half of extra time, Barcelona, now desperate than ever before, needed to find at least one goal to take it to extra time. The came close just 2 minutes into the half, when Yamal found Robert Lewandowski, who returned after injury, coming in stoppage time in the second half of normal time. The Spanish youngster managed to find the Polish veteran just nearby the goal, but he wasn't able to head it down and make it 4-4. With just five minutes to go, Yamal tried one last shot on goal, curling a powerful shot to goal, but he wasn't able to find the goal that Barcelona desired as Sommer made another flying save to deny Barcelona. Eventually, Inter managed to see out the rest of the game, and hold onto a 4-3 win, sending them to the final in Munich, where they look to avenge the sorrow of Istanbul 2 years ago, sealing arguably the greatest Champions League semi final tie in history. Meanwhile, Barcelona, now defeated, draggled, and ragged look to be back next season and hope to make the final in Budapest and win for the first time since 2015. 

Picture Above: Inter Milan players celebrating Davide Frattesi's extra time winner over Barcelona to send them into the final in Munich. 

Wednesday 7th: 

PSG vs Arsenal (Parc de Princes, Paris, France)

The following day, the attention drew to the city of lights, as PSG faced Arsenal, with anyone being able to clinch the final place in Munich. Arsenal look to overturn the1-0 deficit set by PSG, in the first leg, as Ousmane Dembélé's lone goal was enough to draw first blood in London. Arsenal, if they were to emerge victorious on aggregate, would make their first Champions League final, since the great Arsène Wenger lead them to Paris, only to fall short to Barcelona 2-1, with Sol Campbell scoring the only goal Arsenal have scored in a Champions League final. Meanwhile, PSG, if they were to hold on and grab either a draw or a win, would make only their second appearance in the Champions League final, and their first since 2020, hoping to quench the sorrows of Lisbon.

Within just three minutes played, Arsenal sprung into action, making an aggressive start to the game. It almost payed off when, Jurrien Timber intercepted the ball from Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, with the Dutch defender taking a stand and flying in a cross into the PSG penalty area. Up rose Declan Rice to head it home, but his header went wide. Gianluigi Donnarumma was also forced into early action, when Thomas Partey made a long throw in just a minute later. The ball reached the penalty area and Gabriel Martinelli made contact with the ball, sending it goal wards. However, Donnarumma was alert and got down to make a smart save, keeping Arsenal at bay. In just the 8th minute, Partey made another long throw into the PSG penalty area, only to clear as far as Martin Ødegaard, who drove a low shot to Donnarumma, making a superb save to deny Arsenal once again. Roughly 10 minutes later, PSG finally got their first major chance of the game, when Kvaratskhelia took a cracker on goal, only for the ball to crash against the post, leaving Arsenal off the hook. In the 27th minute, following a foul by Rice which resulted in a PSG free kick. The free kick was flown in but Partey managed to head it clear, only for the ball to fall into the path of Fabián Ruiz. The Spanish midfielder chested the ball down and blasted a brilliant shot, which rippled the back of David Raya's net, making it 1-0 to PSG and 2-0 on aggregate. PSG came close to doubling their lead almost immediately after, when Kvaratskhelia and Bradley Barcola made a menacing counter attack. Barcola found himself in acres of space, and attempted to shoot it low, but Raya made a good save to deny the French youngster. Eventually, the end of the first half came, and PSG managed to maintain their 1-0 lead, and put themselves one foot into the final in Munich. 

17 minutes after the start of the second half, Arsenal had the first big chance of the half, when Bukayo Saka made a curling effort on the edge of the PSG penalty area, but Donnarumma made another sensational save to deny Saka, causing further frustrations for Mikel Arteta. The frustrations would only continue as PSG were awarded a penalty after Achraf Hakimi's shot was blocked by the hand of Myles Lewis-Skelly. Vitinha stepped up for PSG and opted to go right. Unfortunately, Raya guessed right, and the Spanish stopper made the save to deny Vitinha from the spot, keeping Arsenal alive. However, two minutes later, Hakimi broke Arsenal hearts just when they started to beat once again. Kvaratskhelia cut the pass inside to Hakimi, who was inside the penalty area, waiting. Partey managed to get to the ball first but cleared the ball as far as Dembélé, who made the pass to Hakimi before the Moroccan scored a sharp finish to make it 3-0 on aggregate and surely send PSG into the final. However, just when PSG looked as though they were in the clear, Leandro Trossard managed to muscle off Marquinhos, and sends a deflected cross towards Saka. His first shot was stopped by Donnarumma, but the ball fell kindly back to Saka, and he couldn't miss on the rebound, making it 2-1 while making Arsenal fans believe again. Just minutes later, Arsenal came agonisingly close to making it 2-2 of the night, when Riccardo Califiori made a cross to Saka, hoping to equalise things for Arsenal; but his touch was too heavy, and his shot flew over the crossbar. Eventually, PSG managed to finish the game without any more surprises, sending PSG into their first Champions League final since 2020, while Arsenal's wait for their major trophy since 2020 carries on, having already lost the Premier League title to Liverpool. 

Picture Above: The finalists of this season's Champions League: Paris Saint Germain and Inter Milan. 

36 teams started this new era of the Champions League back in September, and now only two remain, the two best teams in Europe this season. Paris Saint Germain of France is set to take on Inter Milan of Italy in this enticing encounter in Munich. These two sides have never met before in this competition, and what better way for these teams to face each other for the first time other than a Champions League final. Who will lift the European Cup and avenge the sorrows of their previous finals? The Champions Blog will return in June following the events in Munich as the new champions of Europe will be determined.