Champions League: An Outrageous Quadruple Still in the Cards for Barca

Barcelona vs Inter Milan

Believe it or not, Barcelona have a realistic shot at winning the quadruple this season. Hansi Flick’s men already have two trophies – the Spanish Super Cup and the Copa del Rey – and are seemingly on their way to winning this year’s La Liga and the Champions League.

Barcelona are on top of the Spanish top-flight standings with a four-point cushion over Real Madrid. They just beat their El Clasico rivals in the cup final last weekend, so their confidence levels are at an all-time high. The Blaugrana will take on Inter Milan in the Champions League semi-finals, hosting the first leg at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium this Wednesday night.

Inter Milan are Serie A contenders this 2024-25 season. However, they are in the middle of a slump. Simone Inzaghi’s side is winless in their last four games across all competitions, and they hope to break out against their Spanish counterparts.

 

Talking Points

No Lewandowski for Barcelona

Barcelona cannot afford to underestimate Inter Milan because they won’t have Robert Lewandowski for the entire Champions League semi-finals. The Polish international sustained a left hamstring injury in the team’s 4-3 win over Celta Vigo last week, causing him to miss their last two games. According to local reports, the soonest Lewandowski can return for Barcelona is their final El Clasico match against Real Madrid on May 11.

Ferran Torres has taken Lewandowski’s place in the starting lineup in Barcelona’s last two games. They won 1-0 against Mallorca, as Dani Olmo scored the matchwinner right after halftime. Barcelona then defeated Real Madrid 3-2 in the Copa del Rey final, as Jules Kounde scored the matchwinner in the 116th minute. Pedri and Torres also scored in the said match.

Alejandro Balde will also miss the first leg against Inter Milan and is questionable in the second leg, so Gerard Martin will continue to start at left-back. Pedri and Frenkie de Jong were subbed off against Real Madrid, but neither suffered injuries, so they should be ready to go against the Nerazzurri.

 

Inter Milan have their injury concerns

Marcus Thuram is fighting against time to be fit for the first leg against Barcelona this Wednesday. The Frenchman has missed the last three matches due to an adductor injury, and it’s no wonder Inter Milan are in a slump. Thuram is the Nerazzurri’s top scorer this season with 14 league goals and four assists. If Thuram doesn’t make it, Simone Inzaghi will choose between Marko Arnautovic, Mehdi Taremi, or Joaquin Correa to fill in and join Lautaro Martinez up front.

Meanwhile, like Barcelona, Inter Milan will miss one of their top full-backs in the first leg, as Benjamin Pavard is out due to an ankle injury he sustained in their 1-0 loss against AS Roma. Yann Bisseck is expected to replace the Frenchman, joining Alessandro Bastoni and Stefan de Vrij in the back three. Bastoni and de Vrij took the night off against AS Roma, so they should have fresh legs this Wednesday.

 

History

Wednesday marks the 17th European encounter between Barcelona and Inter Milan. The Blaugrana have the edge in the overall head-to-heads against the Nerazzurri with eight wins, five draws, and three losses. However, Barcelona are winless in their last two matches against Inter Milan when they last faced off in the 2022-23 Champions League group stage (D1, L1).

Barcelona and Inter Milan will only meet in the knockout stages of the Champions League for the second time. When these two sides clashed in the semi-finals in 2010, Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan won 3-2 on aggregate and went on to win the trophy.

Barcelona are undefeated in their six home games against Inter Milan in the Champions League (W5, D1). They also haven’t lost at home in the Champions League this season (W5, D1) while scoring 21 goals.

 

Betting Tip

The Champions League 2025 odds predict Barcelona winning the first leg at home this Wednesday. The Blaugrana are 1.60 favourites to win, whereas Inter Milan are 4.58 underdogs, and a draw is at 3.89 in the 1X2 market. Inter Milan’s slump is a worry, but fatigue could also be a factor for Barcelona.

Besides rooting for a Barcelona victory, SBOTOP football fans and bettors can also expect multiple goals and Champions League 2025 highlights from this fixture, making alternatives like Over 2.75 at 1.74 and Total Goals 2-3 at 2.12 worth considering. Moreover, a Correct Score of 3-3 – the result of their most recent encounter – is a long shot at 55.00 your bet. 

   

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