The UEFA Champions League (UCL) semifinal has been one of the most entertaining we’ve seen yet, with extraordinary players like Yann Sommer, Lamine Yamal, Ousmane Dembélé, and Bukayo Saka.
The UCL semi-finals were preceded by thrilling quarter-final teams from four different countries battling for a spot in the final four. The quarter-finals concluded with Real Madrid, the defending champs, being eliminated by Arsenal. They, along with Barcelona, Inter Milan, and PSG, emerged victorious in their quarter-final matchups to advance.
The Champions League Semi-Finals kicked off on April 29 with a 1–0 PSG win vs Arsenal at Emirates Stadium, with Ousmane Dembélé being the only goal scorer.
The next day brought one of the more entertaining first legs we have seen in a long time: Barcelona vs Inter Milan at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. This game featured extraordinary players like Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Ferran Torres, Denzel Dumfries, Marcus Thuram, and Yann Sommer.
The goal scorers in this game were Marcus Thuram on a backheel volley, Denzel Dumfries on an overhead kick, Lamine Yamal on a finesse shot, Raphinha on a header, and Yann Sommer (own goal) off a Raphinha shot which ricocheted off the post and off Yann Sommer. The game ended 3–3.
The second leg had much more anticipation since Barcelona and Inter were tied 3–3, and PSG led Arsenal 1–0 on aggregate. It also contained lots of chaos, pandemonium, and emotion, as only two teams would advance.
It started with PSG playing Arsenal at Parc des Princes. After an attempted clearance by Arsenal, Fabián Ruiz shot a rocket into the top right corner to make it 1–0 (2–0 agg). Then, in the second half, in the 76th minute, Achraf Hakimi received the ball inside the box and curled it into the bottom left corner to make it 2–0 (3–0 aggregate). Arsenal looked like they were making a comeback after Bukayo Saka got past a keeper and made it 2–1 (3–1 agg), but they couldn’t convert any chances and couldn’t get those two goals they were looking for, and PSG moved on winning 2–1 (3–1 agg).
Mr. DJ Covarrubias’ thoughts on this? He says, “It’s going to be a good final, but PSG will win 3–1.”
This next game, as Noah Carey ’28 puts it, was “one of the greatest UCL semifinal games of all time.” However, he says that “PSG will still win the final.”
The goal scorers in this game were Lautaro Martínez off a counter-attack, Hakan Çalhanoğlu off a penalty, Eric García off a volley, Dani Olmo off a header, Raphinha off a rebound, Francesco Acerbi off a cross, and then Davide Frattesi in extra time to seal the deal for Inter Milan. Yann Sommer was a key player for Inter Milan in this game, having saved 14 shots split evenly over the two legs on 41 shots from Barcelona, saving shots on breakaway opportunities and stopping chances that seemed they would result in goals. Inter would win in extra time 4–3 (7–6 on aggregate) and advance to the final against PSG.
However, Mateo Mendez ’28 says that, “It was rigged since before the Acerbi goal, Dumfries fouled Martín and Barcelona should’ve advanced.”
Mendez predicts that “PSG will win 2–1, with Inter’s goal coming off an attack, and Dembélé scoring one and assisting one, since it is crucial for his Ballon d’Or run and he will play his heart out. PSG will apply a lot of pressure and hold the ball for most of the game.”
The final is set for May 31st at noon PST at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany.
