Meazza Rainy Night: Epic Semifinals! The new Champions League masterpiece!

The reporter reported coldly UEFA President Ceferin visited the Meazza Stadium to watch the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals, and praised the expansion and restructuring of this season's Champions League is successful enough, at least Inter Milan and Barcelona are worthy of his praise in the two legs of the Champions League semi-finals. If there is one game that is considered a "masterpiece" of the new version of the Champions League, the battle of Meacha deserves it. This "scene in the rain" deserves a standing ovation from everyone: for the magnificence of Barça, for the tenacity of Inter. This game is the best interpretation of football, and this is the real epic competition of the Champions League.

Even if the six-ball feast at Montjuïc in the first leg was exciting enough, it was reasonable compared to the second leg of the Meazza match. It was a delightful, passionate, unabashedly crazy night: a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs, and a frenetic football dream come true. It's just that when you wake up, it's an excitement for Inter, a night of carnival that is more unforgettable than the 2010 Champions League semi-final, enough to go down in the history of the club; It was a disappointment for Barça, a nightmare that could haunt the Catalan giants for a long time.

In the first leg, Montjuïc poured in 50,314 people, setting a new record for Barcelona at home attendance this season. Both teams did not disappoint the record crowd, contributing a great game and six goals. The second leg returned to the Meazza Stadium, with a total of 75,504 spectators, and Inter's box office revenue reached 14.676 million euros, setting a record for a single game in Italian football. The Meazza Stadium boiled like lava for three hours, and Inter Milan were chased three goals in a row with a two-goal lead at home, and then equalized in stoppage time by Acerbi in the last minute.

In the overtime, Frattesi became the calmest man in Meaza in an atmosphere of unprecedented frenzy. In the 9th minute of extra time, he received a pass from Taremi, and after stopping the ball, he took a moment to take a breath and think. This was clearly at odds with the restlessness of the entire pitch: just when time and others were almost momentarily still, Frattesi gently sent the ball into the back of the net. The entire Meazza stadium exploded completely, and any attempt to calmly analyze and understand the game was futile. Like the Tyndall light that pierces everything, everyone needs to bother and enjoy the pure sensory stimulation of the moment.

Inter scored two goals in both legs of the semi-finals, with Dumfries in Meazza still in peak form, with Dimarco stealing De Jong at the back in the 21st minute, and Dumfries crossed Lautaro to break the game. In the 42nd minute, Lautaro was tackled by Cubasi in the box and Calhanoglu hit it. While the Nerazzurri did everything they could to contain Yamal, goalkeeper Sommer made seven saves, including five from Yamal. But in addition to a sharp right hook, Barça also have overlooked left jabs, uppercuts and dazzling butterfly footwork. In the second half, Barcelona's gorgeous counterattack began, and in the 54th minute, teenager Gerard Martin made continuous crosses from the left, and central defender Garcia, who was at the back of the penalty area, volleyed into the goal. Six minutes later, it was Martin who delivered a lethal diagonal cross and Olmo headed home. In the 87th minute, Raphinha's shot was blocked by Sommer and then the follow-up shot overtook the score, forcing Inter into a desperate situation.

With less than 90 seconds left in the game, Dumfries made another miracle, counter-attacking down the right and winning a cross that led to the equaliser by central defender Acerbi. At 37 years and 85 days, Acerbi became the second-oldest player to score in a knockout game in Champions League history, behind only Ryan Giggs (37 years and 148 days). And this was almost the only chance for Inter to score in the second half. Some of the Inter fans, who left the pitch early at 3-2, begged security to let them re-enter but were denied, and they also missed the winner of Inter's extra-time match with Frattesi.

Excited, Frattesi climbed the safety fence to share the history-making moment with the Nerazzurri fans across the stadium on this rainy night – the "old" concrete building that UEFA president Ceferin called like a burning torch lit up this rainy night in Milan.

Since the 2003/04 season, Yamal's 14 successful dribbles in this campaign are the second most successful dribbles in a single game in the Champions League semi-finals, behind only Lionel Messi in the 2008 Barcelona vs. Manchester United semi-final (16). But this time, the genius lost to the unparalleled atmosphere of the Meazza Stadium and the "Wall of Sighs" composed of Sommer alone - the thunderous "tenor choir" of more than 71,000 Nerazzurri fans, performing the spirit of resistance that will not give up until the last moment, and the "opera" as loud as a war song, witnessed Inter Milan advance to the final; Like a god to Sommer, he made seven god-level saves in the game, including three must-score saves from Yamal, sending the Nerazzurri to the final for the first time in two years, and he was also voted the best of the game.

The 13 goals scored over two legs equalled the record for goals scored in the Champions League semi-finals against Roma in 2017/18. Inter scored four goals for the first time in a single Champions League knockout game in history, and Inzaghi Jr.'s highly targeted tactical arrangement and substitutions were outstanding. But the defeat of Barcelona is also commendable, and they were able to create gorgeous attacking football with an overwhelming 71% possession rate away from Meazza and almost beat Inter Milan with "two chasing three". Six times in the two legs, the Nerazzurri have conceded only five goals in their previous 12 Champions League games.

Barcelona are indeed very sad, and only one of their last five Champions League semi-finals has been qualified, in Xavi's farewell season (2014/15) 10 years ago. In addition to the miraculous save of Inter goalkeeper Sommer and the fact that the post was not on Barca's side, the poor defense cost Barcelona a heavy price in missing the Champions League final. Barcelona conceded a total of seven or more goals over two legs in their third Champions League knockout tie, the previous two being against Bayern Munich (0-7 in 2013 and 2-8 in 2020). And those two Bayern were the final champions, and Inter, who experienced Meazza epic victory, will continue the tradition of "7 goals + champions" this time?