Davide Frattesi fired Inter Milan into the Champions League final on Tuesday with an extra-time winner, which gave the Italians a stunning 4-3 triumph over Barcelona, 7-6 on aggregate.

Italy midfielder Frattesi won a tie for the ages under a downpour in Milan when he lashed home in the 99th minute, sending a packed and rocking San Siro wild with joy.

Simone Inzaghi’s team will face either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this month in Munich, where they will feel they have a great chance to be crowned kings of Europe for a fourth time after coming out on top in an epic contest.

Tuesday’s triumph saved Inter’s season as their bid for the treble went up in smoke after getting past Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.

Inter conceded top spot in Serie A to Napoli, who are favourites to claim the domestic league title, after getting past Bayern, while AC Milan dumped them out of the Italian Cup a fortnight ago.

But Inter ended Barca’s hopes for the quadruple and now head into the final weeks of the season buoyant with a second Champions League final in three seasons to look forward to.

Frattesi’s winning goal, his seventh of the season and probably the most important of his career, was all the more incredible for the fact that Inter should by rights have already been eliminated.

The hosts were heading out with two minutes remaining of regular time when Raphinha completed a comeback from two goals down at half-time and gave Barca a 3-2 lead on the night.

But Francesco Acerbi stunned everyone in the stadium, not least the already-celebrating Barca supporters, when he forced home Denzel Dumfries’ cross in the second minute of added time.

That goal came as a bolt from the blue as Barca had been by far the better team in the second half of normal time after going in at the break behind to a brilliant Lautaro Martinez goal and Hakan Calhanoglu’s penalty in first-half stoppage time.

Eric Garcia and Dani Olmo pulled Barca level with goals in the 54th and 60th minutes, both from sumptuous Gerard Martin deliveries, and Yann Sommer had to be at his best to keep Inter within touching distance.

Sommer made possibly the save of the season between Barca’s first two goals, somehow stopping Eric Garcia from finishing off a lightning Barca counter-attack.

And the Swiss ended up being crucial again in the 113th minute when he pulled off another miraculous save from Lamine Yamal, who hit the post just before Acerbi’s equaliser.

Inter then held off Barca as the home fans held their breath before unleashing a mighty roar at the final whistle of the match of the season.

AFP

By Francesca Hangeior

Brazilian winger Raphinha has revealed that he was on the verge of accepting a call-up to play for the Italian national team before ultimately representing Brazil.

Speaking to journalist Isabela Pagliari and posted on Monday, Raphinha admitted he was close to joining Italy’s Euro 2020-winning squad.

“I was close to accepting the Italian national team call!” he said. “I was supposed to go to the Euro they won in 2020. I was basically set to go. So luckily, since the passport didn’t come through.”

The Barcelona forward explained that he was being actively pursued by the Italian setup at the time.

“At that point, the people from the Italian national team were calling me. Jorginho used to call me all the time. The Italian staff had this amazing project for me, something that really caught my eye,” he added.

Despite the strong interest and the prospect of joining a major European tournament, Raphinha said he held onto a small hope of playing for his country of birth.

“But at the same time, deep down, I still had that one per cent of hope that I could wear the Brazil shirt. And luckily, my Italian passport didn’t get ready in time!” he said.

Raphinha has since gone on to feature for Brazil at the international level, fulfilling the dream he nearly missed out on.

Kane, who had never previously won silverware, was among a group of Bayern players who gathered to watch the Leverkusen game in Munich on Sunday.

Bayern Munich’s English forward #09 Harry Kane celebrates scoring the 2-1 goal with his team-mates during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Munich on February 3, 2024.

Bayern Munich were crowned German champions for the 34th time on Sunday, giving striker Harry Kane his first major trophy, after second-placed Bayer Leverkusen drew 2-2 at Freiburg.

Bayern’s 3-3 draw at RB Leipzig on Saturday, when the Bavarians came from two goals down to take the lead before conceding a stoppage-time equaliser, meant defending Bundesliga champions Leverkusen needed to win at Freiburg to delay the title party.

Leverkusen were two goals down before scoring twice in the last 10 minutes.

But Xabi Alonso’s side could not find a third, as Bayern reclaimed the title at the first attempt after Leverkusen ended their 11-year reign last season.

Alonso, who won three Bundesliga titles as a player with Bayern, congratulated his former club.

“Congratulations to Bayern. It’s a deserved championship. They were more consistent team over the season and they deserve the shield,” Alonso said to DAZN.

We are the Champions!! pic.twitter.com/YYHC7k6ldU

— Harry Kane (@HKane) May 4, 2025

Kane, who had never previously won silverware, was among a group of Bayern players who gathered to watch the Leverkusen game in Munich on Sunday.

The England captain was suspended for the match at Leipzig but will return this Saturday against Borussia Mönchengladbach at home, where Bayern will be presented with the Bundesliga shield at full-time.

Given Bayern’s far superior goal difference, Leverkusen’s chances of defending their title were already all but impossible.

Freiburg’s Maximilian Eggestein hit a stunning goal from outside the box before half-time and Piero Hincapie was pressured into scoring an own goal just after the break.

Florian Wirtz netted a spectacular solo goal with eight minutes remaining, carving through the middle of the field before firing the ball in off the post.

Jonathan Tah headed Leverkusen level in stoppage time, but the visitors were unable to find the third goal which would have extended their spell as champions.

The result left Leverkusen, who became the first team in history to win the title unbeaten last season, eight points behind Bayern with two games remaining .

Brought it home. For the club, for the fans, for the city.

With the faint title hopes gone, Leverkusen’s focus will turn to keeping hold of Alonso and Wirtz, who could both be headed for the exit in summer.

Alonso has a contract at Leverkusen until 2026 but has been heavily linked with Real Madrid, where he spent five seasons as a player.

Wirtz’s deal expires in 2027 but the Germany midfielder is reportedly considering a big-money move to Bayern.

Tah, who has already confirmed he will leave the club on a free transfer after a decade in Leverkusen, said his side had “too little intensity, we had too few runs in behind. It didn’t work today.”

The Germany centre-back has been linked with moves to Barcelona and Bayern, but said “we’ll see” where he plays next season.

The late goal meant Leverkusen extended their unbeaten streak away from home to 33 games, equalling a Bundesliga record set by Bayern.

The draw keeps Freiburg in fourth, one point clear of Borussia Dortmund, in the final Champions League spot. Freiburg have never played in Europe’s top competition.

Earlier on Sunday, Holstein Kiel won 3-1 at Augsburg, keeping their hopes of beating the drop alive.

Kiel won thanks to a double from Alexander Bernhardsson and a Shuto Machino penalty and are now one point behind Heidenheim in the relegation play-off spot.

In Sunday’s late game, Eintracht Frankfurt can take a major step towards a top-four spot and Champions League qualification with a win at local rivals Mainz.

AFP