Inter Milan vs Barcelona summary: Barcelona denied penalty, score, goals, highlights, Champions League 22/23
Inter Milan 1-0 Barcelona: as it happened
Inter Milan vs Barcelona: headlines
- Calhanoglu wins it for Inter with fine strike right on half time
- Pedri has equaliser ruled out due to Fati handball
- Officials turn down late Barça appeals for penalty after Dumfries seems to handle
- Inter go second with six points; Barça slip to third, with three
- Teams meet again next week at the Camp Nou
- Bayern in charge of Group C with nine points out of nine
Peeeep peeep peeeeep! Hakan Calhanoglu's goal wins it for Inter. It's a huge victory for the Italians and their under-pressure head coach, Simone Inzaghi.
The Nerazzurri move on to six points and into second in Group C, three clear of Barcelona. The Catalans will complain about that late Dumfries handball decision, but that doesn't change the fact that they were not good tonight. Xavi's men now face a real battle to reach the knockout stages.
Next Wednesday's return clash with Inter is a must-win for Barça.
Dembélé loses it to Mkhitaryan, and Inter break. After getting the ball back from Lautaro, Mkhitaryan plays it crossfield to Barella, where he and Dzeko look to run down the clock a bit.
When Barça win it back, they work it forward to Balde. He lifts a high cross into the Inter box, and it's far too easy for Onana. An easy take for the keeper, to huge roars of relief from the home fans.
Barcelona throw themselves forward in search of an equaliser. First Kessié delivers, but it's cleared. The ball is then worked out to Dembélé, who looks for Lewandowski at the back post... but can't find him. Time is almost up for Barça.
Eight minutes of time added in Milan.
Pedri lifts a ball from left to right over to Roberto at the far post. He volleys it back across the box towards Ansu Fati, who is beaten to it by Dumfries. Fati is convinced that Dumfries handled it... and it seems he did.
When the ball goes out, play is held up as the video assistant has a long, long look at it. Finally, he tells the referee there's no need to take another look on the pitchside monitor. Barça can't believe it. It looked like a handball in the replay. Hey ho.
Dembélé curls the set piece in towards the near post, where Busquets has a free header. What he needs to do his glance it on towards the far corner, but he instead gets his forehead firmly on it, and directs it past the near post and well wide.
Bastoni brings Kessié down right on the corner of the Inter box, and Barça have an opportunity to clip in a free-kick. Yellow card for Bastoni.
Barcelona win a corner, which is delivered by Dembélé from the left. It looks to be curling through to Roberto at the back post, but he slips over as he tussles with Dumfries, and the chance is lost.
The visitors then win another corner, again sent in by Dembélé. Busquets nods it down at the back post, but he can't nod it down to someone else in a Barça shirt.
The goalscorer, Calhanoglu, is withdrawn. He gets huge applause. Kristjan Asllani is on in his stead.
Dembélé chucks an unsuccessful cross into the Inter box for the millionth time tonight.
Barça make a change, replacing Gavi with Franck Kessié. On account of his AC Milan past, the Ivorian gets a vigorous whistling.
Now Inter break, and after bursting forward down the right, Barella is inches away from setting up Dzeko for an extremely presentable headed chance six yards out. His cross is just too high, though.
It's all Barcelona ball in the Inter half. But, as has been the case all night - with the exception of the disallowed Pedri goal - the visitors can't create anything of real substance. Dembélé twists and turns on the right before lifting it into the box, but it's headed clear.
Inter make a triple change. Denzel Dumfries, Robin Gosens and Francesco Acerbi are on for Dimarco, Darmian and De Vrij.
There's a mini-fracas before the substitution is made, essentially because a ticked-off Gavi accuses Darmian of time-wasting. Gavi and Lautaro are booked.
That's a crucial intervention by García. Barella scampers forward and pokes the ball left, into Lautaro's run into the box. If it reaches the Argentine, he's in on Ter Stegen - but García stretches to toe it away!
Xavi is shown a yellow card for his protests over that decision to disallow Pedri's goal. When he sees the replay, though, he'll have to admit there is a handball.
Barcelona think they've levelled... but after a VAR check, it's disallowed!
For basically the first time tonight, Dembélé gets to the byline and clips a good delivery into the six-yard box. Onana comes off his line, and can only palm it straight to Pedri, who strokes into an empty net.
But.
The referee is summoned to the pitchside monitor to look at a potential Fati handball just after Onana parried the ball, and the replay shows that the young forward did indeed touch it with his hand. No goal.
Goal! Inter Milan 1-1 Barcelona - Pedri levels!
Darmian sends a long throw-in to Lautaro from the right, but the striker gets his control all wrong, and the ball squirms behind for a goal-kick.
Barcelona boss Xavi makes his first substitutions of the night. Marcos Alonso and Raphinha make way, with Alejandro Balde and Ansu Fati on for the final half hour.
Dembélé's been poor tonight, but he almost scores for Barcelona there! The visitors work it left to the winger, who has acres of space to burst into the Inter box and shoot - but his strike bounces back off the near post! The closest Barça have come.
Busquets is booked for bringing down Mkhitaryan.
Dembélé loses it to Barella, and suddenly the Italian is thundering forward down the right wing, leading a dangerous Inter break. He lifts a high ball over to Lautaro on the left-hand corner of the Barça area - but after chesting it down expertly, he completely slices his pass, and the chance is lost.
Lordy, Dembélé has been off it tonight.
On comes Piqué.
Christensen is going to have to come off. The Dane hurt his ankle in a challenge with Mkhitaryan a couple of minutes ago, and now signals very clearly that he cannot continue. Gerard Piqué will replace him.
Inter make their first change, replacing Correa with Edin Dzeko.
Again Roberto plays it into the box, and again it's cleared. Barça then work it left to Raphinha, who tries to release Alonso towards the byline. He's beaten to the ball by Skriniar, however, and the Inter defender shepherds it behind.
Sergi Roberto receives on the right-hand corner of the Inter box and clips a curling ball over to the far post, where Onana scampers off his line to claim with ease. Barça have looked really quite toothless in attack tonight.
Sergi Roberto feeds it wide to Dembélé on the right, but yet again the Frenchman can't find a Barcelona shirt with his ball into the box. He sends it low into the area, but Bastoni is there to cut it out.
Pedri loses it, allowing Barella to charge forward towards the Barcelona area. Lautaro peels off to receive it at the top of the box, but Christensen does very well to cut out Barella's square pass. Right in position.
Peeeeeeep! We're back up and running at the San Siro. No changes for either side.
Half-time UCL scores
Here are the half-time scores in today's 9pm CEST Champions League kickoffs:
Peeeep peeep peeeep! And that's the half! Inter have the advantage.
Barça have had almost all the ball, but really haven't created anything of particular note. Inter haven't produced all that much, either; however, they have carried a greater attacking threat when they've managed to hit the visitors on the counter, and Simone Inzaghi's men go into the break with a 1-0 lead.
Goal! Inter Milan 1-0 Barcelona - Calhanoglu scores
Calhanoglu served Barcelona notice early on that when he hits a ball, it stays hit - and now he's found Ter Stegen's bottom corner! Dimarco lays it back to the midfielder, who's in an ideal pocket of space to shoot, some 20 to 25 yards out. His low shot is just inside the left-hand post, and Inter lead!
Pedri releases Dembélé with a lovely outside-of-the-boot pass, but again the Frenchman can't deliver any end product. He advances into the box from the right, but stumbles and scuffs in a low cross that can't find a Barcelona shirt.
Three minutes of time added on at the San Siro.
Inter work it to Lautaro on the edge of the box, with his back to goal. He tries to scoop it over García's head with a 'sombrero' flick, but the Barça defender is alive to the Argentine's intentions, and stops him in his tracks.
Pedri on the ball during the first half at the San Siro.
(Photo: Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
That's delicious play by Pedri, who hoodwinks his man to jink his way into space and scamper up the field towards the Inter box. He slips it right to Dembélé, who bursts into the box. He twists, turns, and twists again, but with Calhanoglu marking him doggedly, can only slap a shot into the side-netting.
Again it's worked out to Dembélé, but he utterly shanks his cross - so much so that it turns into a raking pass to Raphinha on the other wing. His attempted ball into the box is blocked.
Inter break, and it's fed to Dimarco on the left flank. Like Dembélé and Raphinha moments earlier, though, he cannot create anything with his delivery into the area.
Barça pop it about for a good minute or so on the edge of the Inter half, before Dembélé slings in a cross that again comes to zip. The visitors have had most of the ball, but haven't created a whole lot.
Dimarco's through ball from the left releases Correa in behind the Barcelona defence, and he runs through to finish with some aplomb. He rounds Ter Stegen before crashing the bouncing ball home... but the flag is up.
Initially, it looked like Correa had been in his own half when the ball was played to him, but a second look shows he was a yard or two inside the Barça half and standing beyond the last man.
Barella was booked amid those Inter penalty claims, by the way.
The referee is indeed called to the pitchside monitor to look at that García handball... but in the end the call he gives is offside against Inter. Oh, Eric. You are a lucky boy. Lautaro was millimetres off when the initial ball was played through, and García's subsequent handball is rendered moot.
At one end, Inter are left screaming for a penalty when García dispossesses Correa with what clearly seems to be his hand.
Dembélé leads a Barça break, before feeding Raphinha on the left. His shot is blocked and the ball runs behind... and we may now see a penalty given.
That's good defensive play by Pedri. Inter work it left to Mkhitaryan, who pings a low ball across goal that's just waiting to be gobbled up. Pedri is there fire, though, toeing the ball behind with several Inter players lurking.
Yet again Barcelona regain possession inside the Inter half, and Pedri bring it forward once more. He threads a dead-straight ball into the box towards Lewandowski's run into the area, but the Pole can't work the yard of space he needs to find one of the corners, and the ball trundles through to Onana.
Barcelona keep winning the ball back deep inside the Inter half, much to the home supporters' consternation.
Inter do succeed in bringing it across the halfway line on this occasion, though, before Darmian wafts an aimless long ball through to Ter Stegen, who grabs hold.
Calhanoglu loses it just outside of the Inter area, giving Pedri an opportunity to create something. He slips it left to Alonso, who's arriving at pace and fizzes the ball into the danger area. It's turned behind for a corner, though.
This time, Barça make more of the corner, finding Christensen's head - but the Dane can't get enough power on it, and it plops through for Onana to scoop up pretty comfortably.
Dembélé lifts an inswinger into the box from the right, towards Lewandowski. He's beaten to the ball by De Vrij, who heads it behind for another Barcelona corner.
Again, the corner comes to nothing; but, again, Barça continue to dominate possession.
There's the first moment of attacking danger for Inter, and Calhanoglu draws a decent save from Ter Stegen! The ball is laid back to the Turk, who's a fair way out. He's got a traction engine of a right boot, though, and gets a fair amount of welly behind his shot. It looks to be rising into the net just under Ter Stegen's crossbar, but the German turns it behind.
Barça continue to monopolise possession. Raphinha receives on the left-hand side of the box and lets fly, but it's blocked. A moment later, the Brazilian picks up the ball just inside the area and looks to play it across goal, but can only find a blue and black shirt.
It's all Barcelona ball in the first couple of minutes in Milan. It's worked out to Dembélé on the right, where his attempted cross is deflected behind for a corner.
The corner comes to nought, but Barça retain possession.
The visitors are playing in a 4-3-3, by the way.
Peeeep! Referee Slavko Vincic gets us underway at the San Siro.
Teams out!
The players have trundled out at the San Siro, where we've had the anthem and the coin toss.
There's a minute's silence before kickoff, as a mark of respect to the victims of the stadium tragedy in Indonesia this weekend.
By the way, we also have live-text coverage of Liverpool and Rangers' clash at Anfield over in Group A. My colleague Roddy Cons will be talking you through that one.
FT in Munich: Bayern 5-0 Viktoria Plzen
Bayern Munich have beaten Viktoria Plzen 5-0 in Bavaria, courtesy of a double by Leroy Sané and further goals by Sadio Mané, Serge Gnabry and Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting. The Germans now have nine points out of nine, and will need to stage a serious meltdown not to qualify for the last 16.
The win is Bayern's 31st straight Champions League group-stage game without defeat. That's a record, apparently.
Barcelona unbeaten against Inter in 12 years
Barcelona come into this game as the team in form, both this season and in their recent meetings with Inter Milan.
The Blaugrana haven’t lost to Inter on any of the last five occasions they’ve faced them. Most recently, they beat the Italians home and away in the 2019/20 Champions League group stage.
Inter’s last win over Barça came in April 2010, in the Italians' last Champions League-winning campaign. Wesley Sneijder, Maicon and Diego Milito scored in a 3-1 semi-final first-leg victory at the San Siro, cancelling out Pedro's early opener. José Mourinho's side then sealed their final place in the return, despite a 1-0 defeat at the Camp Nou.
What the coaches said: Xavi, Barcelona
Learning lessons from Munich:
“We’re in the worst group in the Champions League. We didn't take our chances against Bayern; against Inter, we have to be more clinical. We want the performance we got in Munich, but we want to get a result, too.”
Back on top of LaLiga:
“After so much time, it’s a significant morale boost. It shows that we’re moving in the right direction. We come into this game having failed to get points on the board in Munich, and we have to tell ourselves that it’s time to perform in the Champions League.”
Talk of a Messi return to Barça:
“We’ll see what happens. It’s not the time to talk about Messi. Barça is his home, but we’re not doing him any favours if we talk about him.”
(Photo: REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo)
What the coaches said: Simone Inzaghi, Inter
Under pressure:
“Coaches always depend on results. It’s normal that my position is being questioned right now, but it’s something I’m used to."
Barça "didn't deserve" Munich defeat
“On Tuesday we’ve got a great opportunity against one of the strongest teams in Europe. Barcelona didn’t deserve to lose against Bayern. We know we come into the game on a bad run. We played well on Saturday [against Roma] and probably deserved a different result. But we have to do more.”
(Photo by Mattia Ozbot - Inter/Inter via Getty Images)
Inzaghi in danger of sack after poor Inter start to season
As for Inter, things are looking rather less rosy for the Nerazzurri on the home front. They’re down in ninth in Serie A, eight points behind leaders Napoli, after losing three of their last four Italian top-flight games. On Saturday, they were beaten 2-1 at home by Roma - their first loss to the Giallorossi since 2017.
Tonight it’s “now or never” for Inter’s under-pressure boss Simone Inzaghi, Gazzetta dello Sport has declared. “(Almost) everything is on the line” for the 46-year-old against Barça, Gazzetta added.
Barça top LaLiga for first time in over two years
Barcelona have travelled to Italy feeling awfully pleased with themselves, as they are LaLiga leaders for the first time in 836 days.
Thanks to their 1-0 win over Real Mallorca, Xavi’s men leapfrogged Real Madrid at the top of the table on Saturday - and stayed there when Madrid were held to a 1-1 home draw by Osasuna on Sunday.
The teams are level on 19 points, but Barça have a significantly better goal difference.
My colleague Roddy Cons has more on Barcelona’s return to the Spanish league summit.
(Photo: Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Bayern giving Plzen a Munich mauling
Over in Munich, Bayern are now 5-0 up on Plzen, with 25 minutes still to play at the Allianz Arena. We can safely say that the six-time European champions are heading provisionally six points clear at the top of Group C.
Five changes for each side
That Inter side features five changes from the team that began the weekend defeat to Roma. André Onana, Stefan De Vrij, Matteo Darmian, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Joaquín Correa come in for Samir Handanovic, Francesco Acerbi, Denzel Dumfries, Kristjan Asllani and Edin Dzeko.
There had been some doubt about Lautaro Martínez’s fitness to play, but play he does.
Inter are missing the injured Romelu Lukaku and Marcelo Brozovic.
As for Barcelona, the visitors also make five changes. The aforementioned Roberto and Alonso return to the XI, as do Eric García, Pedri and Raphinha. Alejandro Balde, Gerard Piqué, Jordi Alba, Franck Kessié and Ansu Fati all make way.
The Blaugrana are without injured quintet Ronald Araújo, Jules Koundé, Héctor Bellerín, Frenkie De Jong and Memphis Depay.
(Photo: David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Inter Milan team news
Inter's team is in, too! Simone Inzaghi goes with the following line-up, which we can safely say will be set up in a 3-5-2 formation: Onana; Skriniar, De Vrij, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martínez, Correa.
Barcelona team news
Barcelona's line-up is out! It is: Ter Stegen; Roberto, Christensen, García, Alonso; Gavi, Busquets, Pedri; Dembélé, Lewandowski, Raphinha.
Just to say, I've got Barça in a 4-3-3 there, but there has been talk in the Catalan media of Xavi going with a 3-4-3 in Milan. Sergi Roberto would be on the right of the four, and Marcos Alonso would operate as the left-sided centre-back. We'll have to see how they line up; it may be that they switch between the two systems during the course of the game.
If you're wondering how you can tune in to the game in Milan on the telly or online, might I point you in the direction of my colleague Fidel Rubio's guide on how and where to watch.
A battle to join Bayern in the last 16
Having both beaten Viktoria Plzen and lost to Bayern Munich, Inter and Barcelona are level on three points in Group C, and meet tonight in part one of a double-header that's shaping up as a straight shootout for the right to join Bayern in the knockout stages.
The Germans are 3-0 up on Plzen in a game that was an early kickoff, and are in total charge of the group. Barring a humongous turnaround in Munich, Julian Nagelsmann’s men will have nine points from nine after tonight’s action, and will have one foot in the last 16.
Writing in AS, the journalist Santi Giménez said of today’s clash at the San Siro: “It’s the third game of the group stage, but it could perfectly be taken as a last-32 tie in disguise."
| group C | T | MP | W | D | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Inter Milan vs Barcelona: welcome
Good evening, good afternoon, good morning, wherever you are in the world. Welcome to our live coverage of a really rather important matchday-three clash in Champions League Group C, as Inter Milan host Barcelona at the San Siro.
Kick-off in Italy is at 9pm local time. In the US, that's 3pm ET/12 noon PT - in about an hour and a half.