“Unfiltered madness”: The football world bows to Inter

It was a semifinal for the ages, one that was hard to beat in terms of emotion and spectacle. Inter reached the Champions League final with a 4-3 win after extra time. But it wasn't just the Italian press that celebrated this memorable evening.

07 May 2025

From: dpa/fop

After a wild 3-3 draw in the first leg, Inter and FC Barcelona also delivered a highly dramatic duel in the Champions League semi-final second leg. With a 4-3 win after extra time, the Nerazzurri knocked the Spanish title contender out of the competitionHere we provide the international media coverage of this football spectacle.

Italy

Sports Gazette: "An epic night! Inter infinite! They eliminate Barça in extra time and are in the final!"

Greenhouse Courier: "Inter manages the feat of beating Barcelona and flies to the Champions League final: San Siro is in ecstasy."

The print: "Frattesi sends Inter to the Champions League final. Barcelona beats them 4-3 in an epic match."

Spain

Brand: “Maximum cruelty for Barça.”

El Mundo Sports: “Barça loses proudly in an epic duel.”

The newspaper: “Barça’s glory is slipping away from him.”

ABC: “Inter awakens Flick’s Barça from its slumber.”

Barcelona receives praise in the press. © ANSA / Roberto Bregani

England

BBC: “Inter beats Barcelona in the all-time classic.”
Daily Mail: “This was glorious, unfiltered madness – the best Champions League semi-final in history.”

France

The team: "If UEFA had one wish, just one, it would be not to make us wait another 15 years for an Inter-Barcelona semi-final in the Champions League."

The Parisian: "One qualifier and two winners: Inter and football. From one week to the next, the fun of the game flew from Catalonia to Lombardy, without paying excess baggage fees."

Germany

Picture: "Flick drama in a spectacular duel. 2 games, 13 goals! Bayern's nightmare strikes again! FC Barcelona, led by coach Hansi Flick, loses an absurd Champions League semifinal second leg."

kickers: "Epic Milan: Inter beat Barcelona 4-3 and book Munich. Inter Milan are in the Champions League final for the second time in three years – and that's after an impressive performance against FC Barcelona."

Switzerland

The New Zurich Times: "The two teams delivered a spectacular match, just like in the first leg. Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer secured Inter's victory with world-class saves."

Look: “Sommer leads Inter into the CL final with monster saves!”

Yann Sommer is on everyone's lips in his home country. © ANSA / Daniel Dal Zennaro

Austria

The Standard: “Inter Milan has taken the next step towards winning the Champions League for the second time.”

Krone newspaper: "Absolute Champions League madness in Milan. Inter wins football thriller against Barça."

Portugal

A Bola: "If football had existed in the 16th century, this game would have been a da Vinci painting. (...) Can you breathe yet? That was impossible during the 120 minutes between Inter and Barcelona."