Barcelona vs Inter Champions League semi-final first leg preview: Where to watch, predicted line-ups, team news

Barcelona face Inter in their UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg on Wednesday 30 April at 21:00 CET.

Where to watch the game on TV

Fans can find their local UEFA Champions League broadcast partner(s) here.

What do you need to know?

Having lost five of their last six Champions League quarter-finals before this season, Barcelona showed no signs of stage fright as they eased past Dortmund and into their first semi-final in this competition since 2018/19. A stellar 4-0 first-leg victory demonstrated the blueprint for success and Hansi Flick's men will be expecting a good first outing in this tie given their fine record against Inter in this competition (W6 D4 L2).

Their devastating trident up front of Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal all struck in the home game against Dortmund, and having scored a combined 27 of Barcelona's 37 goals in the competition this season, it is clear the forwards will severely test Inter.

The intrigue comes in the form of Barcelona's potent attack against Inter's miserly defence. Though the Nerazzurri shipped three goals in their quarter-final success against Bayern, they still have eight clean sheets in the competition this term – two more than any other side. This will be their toughest assignment yet, but with a mere two defeats in their last 20 Champions League matches (W13 D5), Simone Inzaghi's side will back themselves to keep the home side at bay.

And they have their own in-form striker to trouble the hosts at the other end of the pitch too, after Lautaro Martínez became the first Inter player to score in five consecutive Champions League games by finding the net in both legs against Bayern.

Possible line-ups

Barcelona: Szczęsny; Koundé, Cubarsí, Iñigo Martínez, Gerard Martín; De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Ferran Torres

Inter: Sommer; Augusto, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Çalhanoğlu, Mkhitaryan, Barella, Dimarco; Lautaro Martínez, Thuram

Form guide

Barcelona

Form: WWWLWW
Latest: Barcelona 3-2aet Real Madrid, Copa del Rey final, 26/04

Inter

Form: LLLDWW
Latest: Inter 0-1 Roma, Serie A, 27/04

Form includes all competitive games in the 2024/25 season; the most recent result is listed first. For statistical purposes, penalty shoot-outs do not count towards results.

Views from the camps

Hansi Flick, Barcelona coach: "I really appreciate Inter, both for how they play and for what they are doing. They're an experienced team; they defend exceptionally well. They're well organised, not just defensively but also when they have possession of the ball. They are really tactically intelligent. Overall, Inter are a fantastic team. They have extraordinary strikers. Their defence is also of the highest level. Inter are led by a great coach. What Inzaghi has done in recent years is truly incredible."

Simone Inzaghi, Inter coach: "Barcelona are a team that have been built very well over time. They have everything needed to play a great game, and Hansi Flick is providing great organisation, just as he did with Bayern and Germany. We must also congratulate them for the work they do with the youth sector. These great talents are growing. Lamine Yamal is a unique talent in the world, he makes great individual plays but is also very useful to the team."

Lamine Yamal, Barcelona forward: "In defence, Inter are a very strong team. It's their greatest weapon; they prove it every year in the Champions League. We're eager to reach the final and show who we are."

Lautaro Martínez, Inter forward: "We have great enthusiasm. In three years we have reached the semi-finals twice, and this hasn't happened to Inter for many years. We are doing a great job in the Champions League and we are trying to make our fans' dreams come true. We have a great desire to play the final once again."

Reporter's view

Graham Hunter, match reporter: It's the "cup with the big ears" that these teams want to lift again, but performances in their domestic cup competitions help us assess this semi-final first leg. Inter were defeated in the Coppa Italia against Milan last week and suffered a setback at the weekend in their tight Serie A battle, while Barça won a massively demanding Copa del Rey final on Saturday against Real Madrid. Who's more ready, less 'sore', less leg-weary? Expect irresistible force vs immovable object themes to emerge.