Arsenal’s defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the other Champions League semi-final led to the hugely predictable criticism of Mikel Arteta being the Nearly Manager after his failure (before he’s actually failed in this case) to lead the Gunners to a trophy for the fourth season on the bounce.
He was ‘outcoached’ by Luis Enrique having presumably by that logic ‘outcoached’ the most successful Champions League manager of all time in the previous round against Real Madrid. And the answer for some fans and a lot of rivals – who we suspect may have an ulterior motive – is for the Arsenal board to replace the guy who’s led them to a first Champions League semi-final for the first time in 16 years and likely their third consecutive second-placed finish in the Premier League.
After 21 minutes in Barcelona we were steeling ourselves for further posturing from those asking for Arteta’s head after the favourite to replace him at the Emirates had seen his unfancied side go two goals up at the Olympic Stadium, and those calls may only diminish slightly after Simone Inzaghi again proved his tactical chops to leave Catalonia with a draw.
It was claimed in January, shortly after Arsenal lost the Carabao Cup semi-final to Newcastle while Liverpool marched ahead of them in the Premier League title race, that Inzaghi was the club’s ‘dream’ replacement for Arteta.
And fair enough. He took Lazio back into the Champions League for the first time in 12 years, has won three Italian Cups (one for Lazio; two for Inter), the Serie A title last season, is locked in a battle with Napoli for a consecutive Scudetto, took an unfancied Inter to the Champions League final in 2023 and is now so highly regarded that he’s seen as the primary reason why this Inter side, which doesn’t have the players to match PSG, Barcelona or Arsenal, could go all the way this season.
Marcus Thuram got them off to the best possible start with the fastest goal in Champions League semi-final history in a game which continued unabated to produce similar gasps of appreciation from that moment on.
The Frenchman’s absurdly deft half-volley flick from Denzel Dumfries’ cross came after just 30 seconds and despite Barcelona then taking the ascendancy, Dumfries doubled their lead midway through the first half with an acrobatic effort as Inter preyed on Barcelona’s distinctly mediocre defending, which was as apparent as their wonderful quality in forward areas.
Lamine Yamal might just be the most talented child that’s ever done anything, anywhere, ever. In his 100th appearance for Barcelona, the 17-year-old scored a stunning goal, battling to win possession near the touchline and then gliding towards the box, dropping one shoulder, then the other before curling the ball in off the post to give Yann Sommer no chance. We know we’re not supposed to do that comparison, but we’re not sure we’ve seen a player make world class opponents look like statues in that way since a peak Lionel Messi.
He’s an absolute joy and so nearly scored another ridiculous goal two minutes later, embarrassing Federico Dimarco with a stepover and chop back onto his left foot before forcing a brilliant finger-tip save from Sommer to push the ball onto the bar.
Barcelona did draw level, as Pedri’s fine cross to the back post found Raphinha, who nodded the ball to Ferran Torres for a tap-in. And it looked at that stage as though it was a matter of time before Barcelona stormed into the lead as Sommer denied Dani Olmo and a Torres shot flashed just wide. Inter were under the cosh.
But it will arguably be Inter, after a second half which saw them again take advantage of Barcelona’s defensive fragility to take the lead from a corner and create further chances on the break after Raphinha’s howitzer drew the Catalans level, including a goal ruled out for Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s toe being offside, that will feel as though they should have won the game.
As it stands they have a very good chance of progressing to a second final in three years under Inzaghi, whose team will continue to be described as “well-drilled” as all inferior sides are. But Inter are coached to attack as well as defend stoically, as they were forced to do here.
You can see the work done in training on transition; they’re brilliant at it. Players in forward areas are rarely isolated despite their backs being against the wall, with one-touch passing and a wonderful awareness of space and where their teammates are making them a massive threat whenever they turn the ball over, particularly against a Barcelona side playing such a high line.
Just as it’s unfair to boil Barcelona down to Lamine Yamal, who is the pinup boy among several other wonderful footballers at the club, it’s also unfair to suggest Inter’s success is solely down to Inzaghi.
But like Yamal, Inzaghi is the main character in his side’s story and that will continue to lead Arsenal and the Arteta naysayers to see him as the ‘dream’ that could become a reality if the Spaniard fails to lead them in the last step to glory.
