How Inter stunned Barcelona in Champions League semi-final of the ages
Inter Milan are through to a second Champions League final in three years after defeating Barcelona in an epic semi-final.
Inter, who lost to Manchester City in the 2022 final, will aim to win their fourth European Cup against either Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal in Munich on May 31 after winning an astonishing tie 7-6 on aggregate.
After a 3-3 draw last week, Barcelona were moments away from a first Champions League final in 10 years when Raphinha fired the visitors into the lead for the first time in the semi-final.
But Francesco Acerbi rescued Inter deep in stoppage time and Davide Frattesi put the hosts 4-3 ahead in extra time to settle a breathless contest that will be remembered for years to come.
The tie equalled the record number of goals in a Champions League semi-final. Here’s how it unfolded, turn by turn.
22 mins: Inter 1-0 Barcelona (4-3)
Before the second leg, a lot of the tactical discussion naturally centered around Barcelona’s high line and whether Hansi Flick’s side could sustain such a bold approach to reach the Champions League final.
But at the San Siro, Inter were just as daring in their high defensive press, which in turn was their best form of attack as Inter dominated the first half. It would have been understandable for Federico DiMarco to concentrate on his defensive duties in his rematch with Lamine Yamal, but the Inter wing-back took up advanced positions throughout the opening quarter and helped squeeze Barcelona.
The Italian timed his press of Dani Olmo to perfection to help set up Inter’s opening goal, stealing in from behind as Barcelona looked to play through. When DiMarco regained possession, the advanced position of the other wing-back, the relentless Denzel Dumfries, allowed Inter to capitalise and he selflessly squared for the returning Lautaro Martinez to finish into an empty net.
44 mins: Inter 2-0 Barcelona (5-3)
At the first look, Barcelona centre-back Pau Cubarsi looked to have won his challenge on Lautaro Martinez as went to ground in the box. But, in the age of VAR, the 18-year-old needed to timed his challenge to perfection to survive the initial review. and the subsequent replays revealed that the Inter captain got there first and Cubarsi made contact with Martinez’s foot and not the ball.
It shows how fine the margins are that Barcelona thought Cubarsi had won the ball – indeed, on Prime Video, Alan Shearer and former Champions League final referee Mark Clattenburg believed the challenge was fair – but it also highlighted the inexperience of the young Spain defender, particularly with Barcelona trailing by one so close before half time.
59 mins: Inter 2-2 Barcelona (5-5)
Of all the players to give Barcelona hope in the semi-final, no one in the San Siro had their money on the two full-backs, who wouldn’t even be in their strongest line-ups had everyone been available. But another extraordinary comeback from Barcelona was led by Eric Garcia and Gerard Martin, the right back and left back who were standing in for Alejandro Balde and Jules Kounde.
Martin looked out of depth at times in last week’s first leg but produced a couple of wonderful crosses with his left foot as Barcelona scored twice in six minutes to stun Inter. His first was met by an even better connection from Garcia, who steered his volley into the top corner.
Then, moments after Garcia shot straight at Yann Sommer from point-blank range, Martin guided another pinpoint cross into the box for Dani Olmo to head in at the back post. The timing of Olmo’s header was key as Garcia’s miss seconds before could have stalled Barcelona’s momentum.
87 mins: Inter 2-3 Barcelona (5-6)
Once Barcelona were level, the flow of the second half was much more like last week’s first leg, with Hansi Flick’s side controlling possession and Inter struggling to play out against their suffocating press.
A couple of changes from Inter did not help as they started to lose their grip. Federico DiMarco, who had been winning his duel with Lamine Yamal, was replaced by Carlos Augusto on 55 minutes. Captain Lautaro Martinez was then taken off, having lasted 71 minutes after injuring his hamstring in last week’s draw.
In fact, Inter manager Simone Inzaghi used all five substitutes by the 80th minute, as midfielders Hakan Calhanoglu and Henrikh Mkhitaryan and centre-back Yann Aurel Bisseck made way. Inter lacked energy and Simeone’s changes – with Mehdi Taremi, Matteo Darmian, Piotr Zielinski and Davide Frattesi also introduced – did not stall Barcelona’s growing belief.
So, when Raphinha fired his rebound in off the far post in the 87th minute, it was a goal that had been coming for a long while, even if it gave Barcelona the lead for the first time in the tie.
90+3 mins: Inter 3-3 Barcelona (6-6)
But it was not done yet. Just as Lamine Yamal looked to add the crowning moment to Barcelona’s comeback, the semi-final took another twist. Yamal hit the bottom of the near post with a low strike from the edge of the box, that would have settled it.
Instead, Inter went down the other end. Denzel Dumfries was involved again and he squared for Inter’s 37-year-old veteran Francesco Acerbi to score just his fifth goal for the club, with an audacious outside-of-the-foot finish high into the roof of the net from the near post. Acerbi had been thrown forward as a makeshift striker. Wow, did he deliver.
There was still time for Yamal to have a chance to send Barcelona to the final, but he shot straight at Sommer in a chance that he couldn’t quite get out from under his feet.
99 mins: Inter 4-3 Barcelona (7-6)
So to extra time, where Inter were buoyed by Acerbi’s dramatic equaliser and the hosts felt the benefit of Inzaghi’s early changes. That was evident with the composure displayed by Davide Frattesi, who guided a deft finish into the far corner to once again give Inter the lead, having been set up by another calm lay-off from Mehdi Taremi, another substitute.
The key role in Inter’s fourth of the night, though, came from Marcus Thuram, who stepped up after the loss of captain Martinez. Thuram had the beating of Barcelona’s much-changed back-line, as he held off Hector Fort and then Ronald Araujo, to get to the byline and square the ball to Taremi. It was another moment of class from the remaining part of Inter’s lethal front two.
115 mins: Inter 4-3 Barcelona (7-6)
It just wasn’t Lamine Yamal’s night. There should be plenty more, but the 17-year-old still came close to another astonishing moment of magic as he looked to rescue Barcelona in extra time.
Just as he did on countless occasions throughout the tie, the teeanger looked to drag Barcelona back into it, and it took an unbelievable diving stop from Yann Sommer to deny him a last-gasp equaliser.
Sommer, who would finish the tie having made 14 saves across both legs, produced a fingertip save at full stretch to push Yamal’s curling effort wide of the post. Sommer conceded six goals across the tie and yet showed why he is among the best in the world with that vital save, which secured Inter their place in the final.
“It’s difficult to read him and I’m really happy I was quick enough,” player of the match Sommer said. “For sure, one of the most important saves of my career. It gave us energy and we believed we could do it.”
US veterans to attend Putin’s Victory Day parade, Moscow claims
US veterans of the Second World War and nearly 30 foreign leaders will attend commemorations in Moscow this week to mark the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany, the Kremlin has claimed.
Kyiv has warned that attendance would undermine countries’ claims to neutrality over Russia’s war in Ukraine, and launched a second consecutive night of drone strikes on Moscow, which forced the Russian capital’s four airports to close on Tuesday.
But the Kremlin announced hours later that 29 foreign leaders – including China’s Xi Jinping and Slovakia’s Robert Fico – were expected to attend, while military units from 13 countries will take part in Friday’s annual Victory Day parade.
Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov claimed several US veterans of the Second World War are expected to attend the events – which will mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory – but it is unclear whether any US officials intend to. Moscow has sent an invitation to the US ambassador.
Despite Vladimir Putin claiming to want a 72-hour truce this week to mark the occasion, Russia also launched a wave of drone strikes which killed two people in Donetsk and Odesa, and injured several others in Kharkiv, where the city’s largest market was engulfed in flames.
Criminals who refuse to attend sentencing to face up to two more years
Criminals could face up to two more years behind bars and lose prison privileges if they refuse to attend court to be sentenced under “long overdue” reforms.
The tougher sanctions come after a series of high-profile killers refused to face their victim’s families as their punishments were handed down at court.
Grieving families led calls for changes to compel killers to appear in the dock after gunman Thomas Cashman, who murdered nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel in Liverpool, refused to attend as he was jailed for life in April 2023.
Sir Keir Starmer promised to carry on a pledge to change the law, first made by his predecessor Rishi Sunak, when he met Olivia’s mother Cheryl Korbel.
Under the reforms being introduced to parliament in the Victims and Courts Bill on Wednesday, judges will have the power to sentence offenders for up to two more years in prison for avoiding justice by refusing to attend crown court for sentence.
For those who already face lengthy imprisonment or whole life orders, judges could also impose a range of prison punishments on offenders such as confinement to their cells and the stripping of privileges such as extra gym time.
Offenders who have been ordered to attend by a judge but whose disruptive and disrespectful behaviour results in their removal from the courtroom will also be punishable by the same means.
Earlier this year, triple crossbow and knife killer Kyle Clifford refused to attend his sentencing where he received a whole life order in March, while Southport child-murderer Axel Rudakubana avoided facing victims’ families as he was removed from his hearing for repeatedly shouting in January.
Other high-profile cases where offenders were absent from sentencing include serial child killer Lucy Letby, law graduate Zara Aleena‘s murderer Jordan McSweeney, and primary school teacher Sabina Nessa’s killer Koci Selamaj.
Justice secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “This bill will deliver long overdue reforms to ensure victims see justice done and are given the vital support they need as they rebuild their lives.
“There is still more work to do as we fix a justice system that was left on the brink of collapse, but this bill is a step towards rebuilding victims’ confidence through our Plan for Change.”
Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones added: “I would like to thank the remarkable families of Olivia Pratt-Korbel, Jan Mustafa, Sabina Nessa and Zara Aleena and countless others who have campaigned tirelessly for offenders to have to face the reality of their crimes by attending their sentencing.
“Justice isn’t optional – we’ll make sure criminals face their victims.”
The bill also plans to restrict parental responsibility from child sex offenders who committed serious crimes against their own child to boost protection for victims.
The move will stop them being able to ask for updates on their child’s schooling or trying to interfere in their life.
Meanwhile, the victims’ commissioner will be required to produce an independent report on whether agencies are meeting their statutory duty over the Victim’s Code, in a bid to further hold the government to account.
Victims’ commissioner for England and Wales, Baroness Newlove, said: “These important and welcome reforms give the victims’ commissioner the statutory powers needed to deliver on the role’s promise: championing victims’ rights, scrutinising compliance with the Victims’ Code, holding agencies to account, and spotlighting the true victim experience to drive meaningful change.
“Crucially, it introduces much-needed oversight and accountability to how agencies respond to anti-social behaviour – an area where victims have too often felt unheard and unsupported.”
Why foreign film tariffs won’t Make America Great Again
How on earth do you tariff a film? Who pays, the moviegoer? And when do they pay – when they purchase a ticket in a US cinema, or when they stream it at home on their iPad in, say, Italy or Brazil?
There’s a very good reason why tariffs are normally applied to relatively straightforward physical goods – a car, a tonne of wheat, so many barrels of oil, bottles of scotch and so on. But a film?
That’s just one reason why Donald Trump’s latest initiative – this time, to place a 100 per cent tariff on “foreign” (ie, non-American) films, to “Make Hollywood Great Again” – is more than usually dangerous and impractical.
As so often, it is rooted in the past, and so much so that it seeks to recreate a bygone, glorious era in a restoration “golden age”, with things as they were roughly when Trump was growing up – chronologically, if not emotionally. Hence, Trump’s trade adviser saying that what they wanted to bring back was American workers putting American engines into Cadillacs in Detroit.
Now it seems he wants modern-day Cary Grants and Audrey Hepburns making movies primarily in southern California; if it’s supposed to be set in Belle Époque Paris or the Congo they can damn well build a set. There’s a reason why the president picked Jon Voight, Mel Gibson and Sylvester Stallone to be his “special envoys” to Hollywood – they are all, like Trump himself, action men best suited to a bygone age.
After all, Trump’s closest link to Hollywood is his appearance in the 1992 classic Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, where he played himself, naturally (because who else could?). With a Maga majority, the movie may yet make it into the Library of Congress National Film Registry, even though the film’s director, Chris Columbus, fears deportation if he cuts Trump’s scene, which he would quite like to do now.
Trump’s Hollywood policy is an atavism passing as economic policy. But, in fact, a tariff could work.
An American company makes a modest feature film and, say, it costs $10m (£7.4m). Let us assume that $2m is spent on filming and post-production in the UK. So in that case, Trump’s 100 per cent tariff would be $2m; the extra cost would be passed on to consumers – tickets at the cinema, extra fees for streaming and higher rights paid by the TV channels who want to screen it.
If it’s a British, French or Korean film, then the importers – the people who show it in cinemas and sell it online in the US – would pay a tariff of 100 per cent of the import costs, assuming none of it was devised, written, filmed or post-produced in the US, in which case the tariff would be reduced proportionately.
Would it make Hollywood great again? No. Southern California and other American sites would remain high-cost locations, even if they became more competitive with, say, the UK, Australia, India or New Zealand. What would probably happen, and maybe quite quickly, is that some scenes would no longer be conventionally “filmed”, with human beings on sets with props, but rendered using AI – a technology that would revolutionise the production model and radically reduce costs.
Indeed, such a scenario is already feasible, though, like most things AI-related, still in its infancy. Given the rights to a star’s image, we could see “new” movies starring Marilyn Monroe or John Wayne cast against type and in thoroughly modern settings – Monroe as a troubled and charmless social media beauty influencer; Wayne as a trans woman running a people trafficking syndicate in Mexico. That sort of thing.
We may learn to love it; the next generations certainly will. The quality, with a good script and compelling storyline, might be as good as any “proper” film, and would be especially powerful in sci-fi and horror. How about some new Laurel and Hardy routines? Remakes of Chaplin classics, starring new, synthesised stars?
One day, the AI-generated genre will have its own Spielbergs and James Camerons as guiding geniuses, and its own Samuel Goldwyns and the brothers Warner. Some will be Chinese, Indian, South American, Korean, European. The film industry will probably be less dominated by Hollywood.
Such movies would still be tariffed, but they wouldn’t raid as much revenue because the cost base might be far lower, and, in any case, they wouldn’t be created on the traditional movie lots under the old, familiar star system. The narrative movie as we have known it since the early 1900s – with its film grammar and production conventions – might itself evolve into something looser and unrecognisable.
Trump wants to bring back the golden age of Hollywood that he remembers. In reality, he’s on a mission impossible.
BBC admits ‘lapse’ in standards over Prince Harry interview
The BBC has acknowledged a breach of its “usual high editorial standards” in its coverage of Prince Harry’s interview regarding his security arrangements.
The Duke of Sussex, interviewed by BBC News on Friday following a Court of Appeal setback concerning his UK security, characterised the defeat as a calculated move by the establishment.
This description, aired on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Saturday, was subsequently reiterated during an interview with security expert Richard Aitch, a sequence the BBC now admits fell short of its expected journalistic standards.
The BBC said on its Corrections and Clarifications website: “We failed to properly challenge this and other allegations.
“This case is ultimately the responsibility of the Home Office and we should have reflected their statement.”
The corporation also said the programme “should have given the view of Buckingham Palace”, and “this was a lapse in our usual high editorial standards”.
The Home Office said: “We are pleased that the court has found in favour of the Government’s position in this case.
“The UK Government’s protective security system is rigorous and proportionate. It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security.”
In response to the failed legal challenge, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “All of these issues have been examined repeatedly and meticulously by the courts, with the same conclusion reached on each occasion.”
During the Today interview, Mr Aitch, who is director of operations at security services company Mobius International, said he “was shocked but certainly not surprised” at the judgment.
He claimed that the “provision of protection should not be based on legal argument”, but on assessment of “risk and threat against Harry”, and agreed that it had been “a “stitch-up”.
Posting on X after the BBC clarification, Mr Aitch said: “There should not be any need to apologise @BBCNews for opinion based interviews.
“Absence of a threat and risk assessment on Prince Harry where the focus is on legal process influenced by the recommendations of a committee that is not independent, it defines ‘stitch up’.”
Harry also claimed to BBC News that he can only come to the UK safely if he is invited, and the King could help resolve the situation not by intervening, but by “stepping aside and allowing the experts to do what is necessary”.
The duke also expressed hopes of a reconciliation with his family during the interview, which was conducted in California, and alleged that the King will not speak to him due to the security issue.
Charles and the Queen, joined by other royals, celebrated the VE Day 80th anniversary celebrations on Monday.
Why this Mediterranean region is perfect for a Summer escape
Summertime in Dalmatia: lazy days swimming in sparkling waters and feeling the salt dry on your skin, feasting on freshly grilled fish in a rustic beach bar while watching the sun set over the Adriatic, losing yourself in centuries of history surrounded by intense beauty – it’s the stuff of dreams. But oh so easy to turn into reality. Between Dalmatia’s stretch of the Croatian coast and the enchanting islands just a ferry ride away, you have everything you need for a relaxing and rejuvenating summer break. Choose between laid-back islands with quiet coves to lively beach resorts offering watersports and entertainment – all of which you can fit into the same trip. To get you inspired, here are some of the highlights of a Dalmatian holiday.
Croatia’s sunniest island is also the country’s most visited, which isn’t surprising when you first set eyes on Hvar Town. Step into St Stephen’s Square, the largest in Dalmatia, and take in the baroque beauty of its cathedral. Follow the path uphill to the 16th-century Spanish Fortress for fantastic views before checking out Hvar Town’s chic beach clubs. Away from the island capital, Stari Grad offers a slower pace of life, despite being on a major ferry route from Split. Once you’ve explored its colourful port, take a hike in neighbouring Stari Grad Plain, a UNESCO-listed site, where you can still see the vineyards and olive groves planted by the ancient Greeks nearly 2,400 years ago.
Surrounded by mesmerising blue-green waters, the smooth white pebbles of V-shaped Zlatni Rat on Brač’s southern coast create Croatia’s most famous beach. Its unique geography draws windsurfing fans from around the world to the pretty nearby village of Bol as they zoom across these waters. Bol is also a handy base for hikes up to Vidova Gora, the highest point in Dalmatia and worth the visit for far-reaching views. Head to the northern coast for picturesque villages such as Pučišća, whose stonemasonry school is the oldest in Europe and continues a centuries-old tradition. When you explore the hinterland, you’ll be tempted to stop by rural restaurants that serve authentic Dalmatian cuisine featuring produce from their own farms and olive groves.
Off limits to tourists until 1989 while it served as an army base, the far-flung island of Vis has been slow to catch up on Croatia’s tourism boom – which suits everyone just fine. The long Venetian-style waterfront of Vis Town will look familiar to fans of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, which was filmed here. The island’s other main village, Komiža, is a delightfully laid-back spot from where you can join boat trips to the jaw-dropping natural phenomenon that is the Blue Cave on the tiny neighbouring island of Biševo. There’s more awe in store when you make the rocky trek down to Stiniva Bay on the southern coast, where the pebbly beach is almost entirely encircled by towering cliffs.
Just across the sea from Split but curiously off most tourists’ radar, Šolta is one of Dalmatia’s lesser-known jewels. Sailors will have moored in its deeply sheltered coves such as Šešula Bay, as well as its attractive villages Maslinica and Stomorska, which bookend the island and give an enticing slice of Dalmatian life. In between you’ll see acres and acres of olive groves that produce award-winning liquid gold – a delicious companion for Šolta’s indigenous robust red wine. Explore Šolta’s heavily indented southern coast if you want true serenity while swimming in secluded pebbly coves backed by fragrant pine-covered hills.
For nearly 40 miles, the Makarska Riviera south of Split offers one alluring beach resort after another – Brela, Tučepi, Baška Voda, Podgora, Drvenik, Gradac and Makarska itself – all in the shadow of the impressive Biokovo Mountains. The sheer variety of beaches and resorts is extraordinary, including the beautiful Punta Rata Beach in Brela and peaceful Nugal Beach just south of Makarska. Follow the long seafront promenade to Baška Voda’s family-friendly beaches including the outstanding Nikolina Beach. And above it all are the hiking trails in Biokovo Nature Park, including the hair-raising Biokovo Skywalk, whose D-shaped glass floor hovers over the cliff and gives you an unforgettable thrill – rather like summer in Dalmatia itself.
For more travel inspiration, information and to plan your trip visit Central Dalmatia
Speculation grows over next Pope while cardinals gather
Cardinals from around the world have descended on Rome ahead of the secretive conclave to decide the next pope.
Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Filipino cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle are among the favourites to succeed Pope Francis ahead of the Papal Conclave, which begins on Wednesday.
In a process that has been virtually unchanged for 800 years, 133 cardinals will gather in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel to start multiple rounds of voting and discussion to select who among them could lead the Catholic Church.
The conclave comes after the funeral of Pope Francis, who was farewelled by hundreds of thousands of mourners in St Peter’s Square on April 26.
Pope Francis changed the Catholic Church during his 12-year papacy, taking a strong moral stance on climate change in and the plight of migrants and refugees.
He also increased the diversity of cardinals, who will now elect his successor. The question is whether they will chose someone to carry on Pope Francis’s legacy, or opt for a more traditional figure.
Why Zelensky is targeting Moscow in the run up to Putin’s victory parade
Drone attacks that shut down Moscow’s airports, renewed assaults on Russian territory, and new claims to have “stalled” Russia’s costly eastern offensive all add up to red faces in the Kremlin, as it prepares to celebrate 80 years since the Nazis were vanquished.
Vladimir Putin has claimed, among other things, that his full-scale invasion of Ukraine was to topple the “Nazi regime” (headed by a Jew) ruling Kyiv. None of the world leaders planning to attend Russia’s parades this week believe that nonsense.
They will note, however, that Ukraine is showing the resilience of a democracy backed by other democracies. And that, perhaps, Volodymyr Zelensky is feeling his country is more secure now that he has locked in American interests in Ukraine’s minerals – and a new uplift in US-made air defences.
After four months of resolutely taking Russia’s side in each and every aspect of international affairs and negotiations over a “ceasefire”, Donald Trump recently agreed to transfer a Patriot missile system from Israel to Ukraine, while Greece and Germany are considering the same, according to The New York Times.
This volte-face comes after Ukraine agreed to a deal that credits the dollar value of America’s military aid to Ukraine to a joint US-Ukrainian fund as a capital investment in future minerals exploitation.
The weapons-now-for-future-mineral-profits exchange has given Trump a financial incentive to back Ukraine, and represents a diplomatic victory for Zelensky.
Putin has offered a three-day ceasefire from 8 May to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany. Ukraine has countered by saying it will not observe the Russian ceasefire but will instead offer an open-ended ceasefire.
Hundreds of delegates and heads of government who support Putin have been invited to attend a parade by Moscow’s forces through the capital city on 9 May. But the city’s four main airports were shut down overnight from Monday into Tuesday, after the capital came under sustained attack by Ukrainian drones.
Zelensky had warned over the weekend that Putin’s guests would be vulnerable if they attended events in Russia.
“Our position is very simple, for all countries travelling to Russia on May 9: we cannot be held responsible for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation,” he said.
He also claimed that Russia might launch false-flag attacks involving “arson and bombings” during the festivities, and blame Ukraine.
The Moscow drone assaults are clearly intended to scare off visitors to Putin’s parade. A similar event planned for Russian-occupied Crimea has already been cancelled because it is so often the target of Ukrainian missile and drone attacks.
Robert Fico, the Slovakian prime minister and a longtime supporter of Putin, said on Monday: “I have to object to the statements made by the Ukrainian president Zelensky … Zelensky thinks that these threats will mean that foreign delegations don’t go there [to Moscow] – he is sorely mistaken.”
Ukraine is extremely unlikely to threaten the lives of foreign leaders in Moscow. But Zelensky has used the international focus on the memorial parades to remind the world that assumptions that his country is on its knees, and must inevitably sue for peace with its invader, are, in his view, false.