Inter Milan’s head coach Simone Inzaghi reacts during the Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Roma at the San Siro Stadium, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)
Inter Milan’s Marcus Thuram reacts after a missed scoring opportunity during the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Inter Milan and Bayern Munich at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Inter Milan’s Marko Arnautovic reacts at the end of the Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Roma at the San Siro Stadium, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella lies on the pitch after missing a chance to score during the Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Roma at the San Siro Stadium, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Inter Milan’s head coach Simone Inzaghi stands on the sideline during the Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Roma at the San Siro Stadium, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Inter Milan’s head coach Simone Inzaghi reacts during the Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Roma at the San Siro Stadium, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)
MILAN (AP) 鈥 Strange things happen when Inter Milan plays Barcelona in the Champions League semifinals.
in the final four of Europe鈥檚 elite club competition, in 2010, Barcelona had to make a 15-hour journey by bus to Milan after an ash cloud caused by the eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull shut down air space.
Barcelona lost that first leg 3-1 and a stout defensive performance by Inter in the return match saw it advance to the final 3-2 on aggregate 鈥 where it beat Bayern Munich to clinch a historic treble under Jose Mourinho.
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Inter is hoping it won’t have to make a similarly arduous journey after brought much of Spain and Portugal to a standstill Monday.
early Tuesday morning and Inter鈥檚 charter flight was still scheduled to take off for Barcelona at 5 p.m. local time ahead of the first leg of their semifinal on Wednesday.
Inter coach Simone Inzaghi will be hoping his team can power back up for the game as well.
Inter heads to Barcelona following a dire run of results that has seen .
For the first time in more than 13 years, Inter has lost three straight matches without scoring a goal.
Since a 2-2 draw against Bayern in the Champions League quarterfinals, the Nerazzurri have lost 1-0 to both Bologna and Roma in Serie A and 3-0 to AC Milan in the second leg of their Italian Cup semifinal.
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That has also seen them been leapfrogged at the top of the Serie A table by Napoli, slipping three points behind .
鈥淭he three defeats hurt and we鈥檙e not used to this, we have to look at ourselves and try to recover our physical and mental energy,鈥 Inzaghi said.
Those three games, however, had something in common: Marcus Thuram was missing.
Thuram, who has been out with a left thigh issue, has scored 17 goals and provided nine assists across all competitions for Inter this season.
Without the France forward, Lautaro Martinez has appeared fatigued attempting to carry Inter鈥檚 attack. And Marko Arnautovic, Thuram鈥檚 replacement, has been ineffective.
Thuram has returned to training and could even start on Wednesday.
鈥淲e鈥檒l head to Barcelona and we will play them with respect, not fear,鈥 Inzaghi added.
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