We have reached the Champions League semi-finals for this season, and on Wednesday, 30 April, Barcelona is hosting Inter Milan at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
What We Know
- First leg of the Champions League semi-finals. The aggregate winner of this duel will face either Arsenal or PSG in the final.
- Barcelona leads their head-to-head with 6-4-2.
- Barcelona have a 32-22-13 record against Italian teams.
- Inter have won just two of their last 15 Champions League games against Italian teams (2-4-9).
- Barcelona are unbeaten at home this year (5-1-0) and have seen every game end with Over 3.5 goals.
- Inter have conceded in three straight games, but before that, they had only conceded once in their only defeat this year (1-0 to Leverkusen).
Betting Tip Barcelona - Inter
Barcelona have usually found their way to turn the score up in their games, and they will not change easily, despite Inter’s defensive acumen. We are expecting goals, and the tip is BTTS and Over 2,5 Goals.
- Betting tip: BTTS & Over 2,5
- Odds: 1.83 (at the time of writing)
- Stake: 5
Barcelona
Barcelona last won the Champions League in 2015, when they defeated Juventus 3-1 in the final. That was also the last time they reached the final, and in seasons after that, they only played the semis once.
This match comes after the Copa del Rey title and victory over fierce rivals, Real Madrid, 3-2. While that could be a wind in their back, the final was very exhausting, and we will need to see the energy the team will bring to the pitch on Wednesday.
This season, Barcelona is among the most dynamic teams in the world, particularly in attack, which is something we have come to expect from them. Their run'n'gun playstyle leads to plenty of goals for (and sometimes against) Barca.
This translates to high-scoring, crowd-pleasing affairs, but the knockout phases can be a different beast. Against Inter, it will be crucial for Barca to find a balance between attack and defence.
The team will try to take the initiative, and, while Lewandowski’s absence is going to be a challenge, Barca and Hansi Flick might just have enough firepower to compensate for the Pole’s absence.
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Inter
The Italians saw all the signs and began dreaming of a treble, after drawing Barcelona in the semi-finals, just like 2010. After that, however, things took a turn for the worse. Inter got knocked out of the Coppa Italia by rivals Milan (0-3 defeat)
They are currently in second place in the Serie A league table, after losing two consecutive matches. This now marks a critical point in the season, and Inter must pull itself together and demonstrate the necessary concentration and mental fortitude to overcome the mounting pressure.
The two duels against Barcelona pose a significant challenge for everyone involved with the team.
Just two years ago, the Nerazzurri managed to reach the Champions League final and lost 1-0 to Manchester City. From that point on, many things have changed, apart from the manager. Simone Inzaghi remains a steady hand in charge of the ‘ship’.
His team is usually well prepared to ward off the opposition and prevent them from creating chances or scoring at will. They pulled off an incredible victory in Munich, despite needing a good bit of luck. It stands to reason that they will once again drop back and cede the ball to their opponent.
