Inter Milan reached the Champions League final for the second time in three seasons by beating Barcelona 4-3 in extra time, for a 7-6 aggregate victory. The dramatic win at San Siro featured many highlights, but midfielder Davide Frattesi provided a truly memorable moment with his crucial goal in the 99th minute.
Receiving the ball from Marcus Thuram, forward Mehdi Taremi showed great teamwork by passing to Frattesi. Frattesi then used a clever feint before clinically striking the ball past Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny to give Inter the lead. This remarkable finish was only Frattesi`s seventh goal of the season and his first in eight games for Inter across all competitions. His previous goal was also important, scored in the 88th minute of the first leg of Inter`s quarterfinal against Bayern Munich, a tie they ultimately won 4-3 on aggregate by a single goal margin.
When asked by CBS Sports after the match about his composure under pressure during the finish, Frattesi gave a straightforward response.
“I don`t know,” Frattesi replied, “maybe I was thinking that if I don`t score, I`m f—ed.”
High-pressure situations in front of goal can often lead to panicked decisions, but the Inter midfielder effectively managed this by channeling the intensity into a calm and decisive finish that propelled his team towards the Champions League final on May 31st. While reaching the final is a major achievement, the team still faces three Serie A matches as they chase Napoli for the Scudetto title. However, with players like Frattesi capable of delivering such pivotal moments, their ambitions remain very much alive.
