Barcelona went down 3-1 at the San Siro following many controversial decisions from the referee, but fortunately, a 2-0 score line in their favor will be enough to send them into the final. However, Milan are very much prepared to do whatever it takes to prevent the Catalans from shocking them in their stadium, especially when the option of playing a negative game is pretty wide open.
Barcelona – Marching forward or Surrendering?
Barcelona are now short of alternatives since they were incapable of keeping their lead at the San Siro to snatch an away advantage. Goals from Sneijder, Maicon, and Milito were enough to humble them in Italy, and hence, toughen their mission at home on Wednesday night.
Controversy… Not an excuse
Barcelona were supposed to be awarded a penalty at the San Siro when Dani Alves was illegally fouled by Dutch international Wesley Sneijder inside the box in the last minutes of the game, but the Portuguese referee refused to favor the visitors for their complains, and waved away the appeals. There were also protests that the second goal scored by Inter had a dirty building in view of the fact that Lionel Messi had earlier on been challenged, and denied what should have been a quick free-kick.
According to critics from spectators of that game, it is subsequent to that mistake from the referee that the Nerazzurri were able to break away and pull a second goal to increase their chances of playing at the Bernabeu in May. Furthermore, Barcelona defender Gerard Pique declared after the clash that Milito’s killer header in the second half should have been overruled for offside, but with the referee’s team been unconvinced by the Catalans’ arguments, the score line still stood as 3-1; giving the Barcelona players the task of their lives afterward.
Nevertheless, the Spanish champions have long been accused of having robbed English giants Chelsea at the Stanford Bridge last season when they profited from Referee Ovrebo’s impartiality to defeat the Blues on away goals in the semifinals. Regardless, the Blaugrana defended theirselves by reminding the football audience about the unfairness which happened in the first leg at the Camp Nou several days before; explaining that the whole case had thus become a matter of “vengeance”.
Eventually, since Barcelona seem to understand the “rules of justice” in football, they certainly do not have many reasons to use the referee’s unfairness at the San Siro in their first-leg match against Inter Milan at the San Siro. They currently only have the choice of showing their best sides if ever they ought to be European finalists for the second year spanning.
Inter Milan – Not given up
Inter were controversially 3-1 winners in Italy last Tuesday. They definitely see no reasons why they would have to allow theirselves to be dominated by Barcelona at the Camp Nou to the extent that they lose the value of their home advantage. Probably, they will want to be the first to cause the Catalans a huge upset since the arrival of Pep Guardiola in the Spanish club, and they could do so in using the techniques of Jose Mourinho’s former club Chelsea, when they visited the Spanish champions in their stadium last season.
A negative game
Chelsea held the Blaugrana to a 0-0 draw at the Camp Nou last year, in the first leg of the Champions League’s quarterfinals. Despite all the critics that Barcelona’s forwards and the referee received for their lack of competence in the match, Chelsea somehow deserved praises for their ability to prevent their opposing attackers from shaking the back of their net, through a negative game.
Considering the fact that Inter presently have a juicy 3-1 home advantage ahead of their challenge at the Camp Nou, they could well go for a defensive formation against the Catalans–at least to defend their first leg result. Undeniably, the fact that Inter have conceded only 2 goals in their last 5 Champions League contests shows how powerful Mourinho’s organization at the back has been this year.
A 0-0 draw will be acceptable for the former Chelsea manager without doubts; and in fact, should the Nerazzurri manage to keep Barcelona goalless in Cataluña, then they would be building a great name for theirselves in an attempt to inflict premature fears into the heart of the players belonging either to Bayern Munich or Lyon. Otherwise, the Special One will only have to accept any score line that comes out of the clash; just as real football champion would do.
Barcelona vs Inter Milan – Those to watch
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Samuel Eto’o
The present Barcelona No. 9 forward unquestionably knows about Inter more than any other member of his Catalan club. The Swede attacker was a former player of the Nerazzurri, and he had a great time while he was at the San Siro. Ibrahimovic however agreed to leave the club before Mourinho’s second year in charge of the Italian team, as he was swapped with Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto’o.
Current Inter Milan forward Eto’o won the UEFA Champions League last season with the Catalans after scoring an early opener in the final against Manchester United. Zlatan was nevertheless not able to have such an achievement, but at least, he can boast of having helped the Italian club to keep its integrity subsequent to all his individual work. Both strikers will now face each other on Wednesday evening, but since Ibrahimovic failed to make an impact in his team’s match at the San Siro, Inter fans will be hoping that their ace Eto’o will be able to mark his visit at the Camp Nou with a memorable attainment.
Lionel Messi
Messi is the reigning FIFA Player of the Year, and the Ballon d’Or winner. La Liga’s top scorer is also the Champions League’s leading goal scorer with 8 goals, but perchance, his records would mean nothing to him if his side does not reach the final for the second time in a row. Messi was somewhat covered in his game away to the Emirates Stadium in the quarterfinals, but he bounced back impressively at the Camp Nou in the return leg to score 4 goals and lead his side into the next stage of the Champions League.
He will be asked to do so against Inter in mid-week, seeing that a failure to make the impossible will surely cost him the majority of the badges he has already acquired through his efforts in the past few months. Messi is assured to obtain the help of his mates Xavi Hernandez, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola
Both coaches are regarded as the best coaches on the planet alongside Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. Mourinho was somehow luckier than Guardiola when both their clubs clashed at the San Siro last Tuesday, and fortunately for Inter, they are now a step closer to reaching the Champions League final since quite a number of years. The strategies and decency of both managers on Wednesday will certainly determine which of those two deserves the crown this season, and being the Special One, the Portuguese would well want to snatch the honor.
Barcelona vs Inter Milan – Team News
Barcelona
Stars Lionel Messi and Dani Alves were both supposed to have a good break at the weekend when they were rested so as not to be worn out by training and Saturday’s match against Deportivo Xerez in La Liga. Messi entered the game on 52 minutes, but despite suffering a dreadful challenge which cost his marker a red card, the Argentine was declared fit to face Inter Milan as a starting player on Wednesday.
Moreover, Swede striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was also in action at the weekend as he aims to get more and more playing time for his club after his return from injury. Having scored a goal for Barcelona against Xerez, he is very much likely to start against his former Italian side so as to correct his mistakes from the first leg. Unfortunately for Barca, they have 5 players all being marked with yellow cards, and these players are none other than Sergio Busquet, Carles Puyol, Seydou Keita, Gerard Pique, and Dani Alves.
Inter Milan
Inter had most of their superstars featuring in their game at the weekend against Atalanta. The Serie A leaders came from a goal down to win their match 3-1 just as Barcelona did on the same day, as a preparation for their clash in Spain on April 28.
Samuel Eto’o, Diego Milito, Marco Materazzi, and Julio Cesar should all be available for their trip to the Camp Nou; nevertheless, their concern lies upon the doubts which have been raised over the eligibility of playmaker Wesley Sneijder. The man who got Inter Milan’s opener at the San Siro in the first leg against the Catalans is said to have sustained an injury at the weekend which could prevent him from giving help to his side while they get tested by Pep Guardiola.
Brazilian defender Maicon could also be left out after he lost his tooth last Tuesday. Maicon clashed with Barcelona’s Lionel Messi in the second half, and he was therefore sent to the dentist who confirmed that the back player could miss several days of action.
Barcelona vs Inter Milan – The referee
“The referee at the Camp Nou will have to be impartial (against Inter Milan).” This is what the veteran Spanish stopper Gerard Pique said after he got emotionally hurt by Referee Olegário Benquerença in his game at the San Siro. Pique accentuated on the biasness of the official in favor of Inter, explaining that such unfairness finally demanded more strength from the title holders ahead of their semifinal home game.
Throughout Spain and its surrounding countries, there have been reports that Barcelona fans have mobilized theirselves as they plan to place Inter under the most unbearable pressure on Wednesday. As houses are being painted in blue and red, mobile-targeted text messages have been flowing; and as the fans are waiting for a miracle, the club has been putting the referee appointed for the second leg under huge frustration. Below are some information on the referee and his helpers:
Referee: Frank De Bleeckere
Linesmen: Hermans and Vromans
Fourth Referee: Gumienny
Over the past, the Belgian main referee has officiated 4 games of Inter Milan in the Champions League, and among these 4 encounters, the Nerazzurri have won 2, drawn 1, and lost 1. Below are the results of Jose Mourinho’s current side under the officiating of Referee Frank De Bleeckere over the years.
30 Oct, 2002: Inter Milan 3-0 Rosenborg
05 Nov 2003: Inter Milan 1-1 Lokomotiv Moscow
22 Nov 2006: Inter Milan 2-0 Sporting Lisbon
19 Feb 2008: Liverpool 2-0 Inter Milan
The Champions League match which was won 2-0 by Liverpool over Inter at Anfield presented a lot of controversy in favor of the home side as defender Materazzi was wrongly sent off for having minimal contact on Fernando Torres during what was a weightless challenge. De Bleeckere might favor the home side again on Wednesday night, when Barcelona try to overturn a debatable 3-1 score line to register their name in the final.
Barcelona vs Inter Milan – In the Past
Overall, Barcelona and Inter Milan have met 5 times, but the Italians have not quite succeeded in imposing theirselves despite their 3-1 triumph lately. The Catalans have scored 6 goals against the Italians, making an average record of more than a goal per game against the Nerazzurri, while the Serie A favorites have only managed to get 3 goals at the back of the Azulgranas’ net. Below is a list presenting the results of the latest games between both clubs in history:
17 Feb, 2003: Barcelona 3-0 Inter Milan
25 Feb, 2003: Inter Milan 0-0 Barcelona
16 Sep, 2009: Inter Milan 0-0 Barcelona
24 Nov, 2009: Barcelona 2-0 Inter Milan
20 Apr, 2010: Inter Milan 3-1 Barcelona
