Barcelona starting XI (4-2-3-1): Szczesny, Koundé (subbed for Garcia), Cubarsì (subbed for Christensen), Martinez, Martin (subbed for Araujo), De Jong, Pedri (subbed for Gavi), Yamal, Olmo (subbed for Fermin), Raphinha, Ferran Torres

Bench: Pena, Astralaga, Fati, Torre, Pau Victor, Fort

Goals: Yamal 24’, Torres 38’, Sommer (OG) 65’

Inter Milan starting XI (3-5-2): Sommer, Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni, Dumfries (subbed for Darmian), Barella, Calhanoglu (subbed for Frattesi), Mkhitaryan, Dimarco (subbed for Carlos Augusto), Lautaro Martinez (subbed for Taremi), Thuram (subbed for Zielinski)

Bench: Di Gennaro, J.Martinez, De Vrij, Arnautovic, Asllani, Re Cecconi, Zalewski

Goals: Thuram 1’, Dumfries 21’ 63’

Wednesday night’s clash featured gorgeous goals from both sides and sets up a must-see sequel next week in Italy.

Marcus Thuram was a doubt for the starting 11 after missing Inter’s previous three matches — all losses without a goal. But the striker used the back of his heel to turn in a cross by Denzel Dumfries to stun the hosts just seconds after kick-off in the Catalan capital.

Dumfries scored his first of two goals with a bicycle kick to double Inter’s lead in the 21st.

Lamine Yamal sparked the hosts into action in the 24th when he dribbled past two defenders and sliced a shot in off the far post. He went close to an equaliser moments later after gliding down the byline and firing a shot with just a sliver off an angle off the crossbar.

Ferran Torres rammed in a headed pass by Raphinha to level for Barcelona in the 38th.

Inter suffered another blow when Lautaro Martinez had to be substituted at halftime, but Dutchman Dumfries charged in to head home a corner kick to put Inter back ahead in the 63rd.

Raphinha needed two minutes to pull Barcelona level again when his blistering shot from outside the box struck the crossbar, ricocheted off the back of goalkeeper Yann Sommer and found the net.

“Playing at home, we had the obligation to win,” Raphinha said.

“But the result is not that bad, we’ll prepare for the second game so we come out on top.”

Barcelona are trying to reach their first final since 2015, when they collected a fifth title. In the first season under Hansi Flick, the Spanish club are also trying to repeat the treble of major trophies they won a decade ago.

Simone Inzaghi’s Inter are aiming for their second final in three years, after losing to Manchester City in the trophy match in 2023.

The last time three-time winner Inter lifted the European Cup they beat Barcelona at the same stage in 2010.

The winner will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal in the decider in Munich on May 31. PSG won the first leg 1-0 in London on Tuesday.

AAP