How Inter Veteran Francesco Acerbi Helped Eliminate Barcelona From UCL

After last week’s 3-3 draw in Catalonia, few expected a similar shootout to take place when Barcelona visited San Siro. Yet that is exactly what unfolded over 120 thrilling minutes in Milan, Inter emerging victorious as Francesco Acerbi rolled back the years in an incredible performance.

With a place in the UEFA Champions League Final at stake, the Nerazzurri knew they needed their best players to shine and they certainly did not disappoint. Starting the game in intense fashion, their decision to press Barca high up the pitch paid off as Federico Dimarco dispossessed Dani Olmo and immediately found Denzel Dumfries.

Despite being through on goal, the full-back rolled the ball to his left and Lautaro Martinez made no mistake, thumping the ball home with an emphatic strike to put Inter 4-3 ahead on aggregate.

Francesco Acerbi and defences take centre stage

From there it would be the defenders who had the most impact on the game. Francesco Acerbi slid in to make a crucial block on Pedri, then Alessandro Bastoni did the same after Raphinha found Ferran Torres.

Bastoni was again alert to take the ball away from Lamine Yamal with a perfectly timed tackle, and it seemed Pau Cubarsi repeated that at the other end to prevent Lautaro Martinez as he was about to shoot.

After a VAR review however, it seemed the Barca defender caught the striker’s boot not the ball and Inter had a penalty, Hakan Calhanoglu coolly dispatching it beyond Wojciech Szczesny.

Acerbi thought he had scored after 52 minutes only to see his header ruled out for offside. Inter would then allow their opponents back into the game, Eric Garcia smashing the ball into the top corner after meeting a cross from Gerard Martin, and the same player would pick out Dani Olmo for a free header just five minutes later.

Barcelona were now on top and thought they had a penalty, only for VAR to overturn it as Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s foul on Yamal was just outside the box. The young Spain star was suddenly everywhere, a great save from Yann Sommer keeping a long range effort out of the top corner.

The Inter goalkeeper made another excellent save to deny Raphinha, but the former Leeds United man made no mistake on the follow-up and gave Barca an 88th minute lead. Lamine Yamal then saw a wonderful effort hit the base of the post and it seemed there was no way back for Inter.

Francesco Acerbi becomes Inter striker

But, just as it seemed as if Inter’s dream of reaching another Champions League final was over, an unlikely hero stepped up. Having made all his available substitutions, Coach Simone Inzaghi resorted to desperation, ordering Francesco Acerbi to go forward and play as an auxiliary striker.

Standing 1.92m (6 ft 4 in) tall, the 37-year-old might’ve been expected to make an impact aerially but, when Dumfries shrugged off a challenge from Gerard Martin and rolled it across the box, few could’ve foreseen what would happen next.

Acerbi, who in 599 appearances over his 20+ year career has managed just 32 goals, thumped an emphatic finish into the roof of the net with his weaker right foot to bag his first ever European goal.

Ripping off his shirt to celebrate with unbridled joy, he had given Inter a lifeline they would not let go of. In Extra Time, neat work from Marcus Thuram and Mehdi Taremi gave Davide Frattesi an opening, the striker sitting Pau Cubarsi on the ground and freezing Szczesny before curling the ball into the bottom corner.

Francesco Acerbi delivers victory

It was a superb goal, and Sommer would make two more excellent saves to deny Lamine Yamal, but there was little doubt that this was Acerbi’s night. According to statistics provided by WhoScored.com, he made two tackles, two interceptions, one block and a staggering 12 clearances on the night.

The result means Inter will now go on to face the winner of Arsenal’s tie with Paris Saint-Germain, a remarkable achievement for a team that has disappointed in both Serie A and the Coppa Italia in recent weeks.

Now they can look to go one better than they did in losing to Manchester City three years ago. Inter and Francesco Acerbi now head to Munich seeking to be the first Italian team to win the Champions League since their own 2010 triumph.