ASTOUNDING DISPLAY
A magnificent, astounding defensive display from the ten men of Internazionale who dump Barcelona out of the Champions League. Despite Thiago Motta's red card after half an hour, despite Barcelona scoring 62 goals at the Nou Camp this season, despite Barcelona possessing some of the most potent attacking players on the planet and perhaps the world's best on Lionel Messi and despite Gerard Pique setting up a grandstand finish with just six minutes to go, Inter have held on for a famous result. They reach the European Cup/Champions League final for the first time since 1972 where they'll face Bayern Munich at the Bernabeu on May 22nd. Full time at the Nou Camp, Barcelona 1 Inter Milan 0 (2-3 on aggregate).
95'
MOURINHO MAGIC
Mourinho predictably makes his point in emphatic style, jubilantly raising his arms at the Inter fans high up in the Nou Camp skies. Valdes takes offence and has words but is eventually led away. Amazing scenes here.
95'
FULL TIME
It's worked short to Alves but Inter clear and that's full time! Inter have done it! Mourinho legs it onto the field and the celebrations are wild.
94'
CORNER
Xavi clips to Pique in the box and he wins a corner. Seconds left.
94'
CLEARED
Alves crosses deep but Maicon clears. Time for one chance maybe.
92'
TWO TO GO
I didn't see the board but I'm hearing four minutes were added on. Just two to go in that case...
92'
RULED OUT
Unbelievable tension - Barcelona have the ball in the net but it's ruled out for handball by Toure. Looks like ball to hand to me. Play went on and Bojan slotted past Cesar. I really don't know about that - he was a yard away from the Inter defender who cleared the ball straight at him.
91'
CUT OUT
It's played short to Messi, who passes inside for Maxwell but his pass into the box is cut out.
91'
CORNER
Zanetti concedes a corner...
90'
GOAL KICK
Messi can't quite get a shot away in the box and Inter whack the ball against him and out for a goal kick. To say this is backs to the wall is a ridiculous understatement.
89'
NO PEN
Alves goes down like a sack of spuds under Muntari as a Messi through ball is over-hit. No penalty, but no yellow for diving either.
88'
MESSI SHOT
Messi does the same, but as least they're on target now. Barcelona are well and truly alive. Remember, one goal will do it for them unless Inter score at the other end.
87'
XAVI SHOT
Xavi stings Cesar's palms with a finely-struck long ranger.
87'
TIME ALLOWED
It'll be interesting to see how much time is added on - Inter's delaying tactics have been going on all night and there've been a few subs this half. I reckon four minutes at least.
86'
INTER SUB
Samuel Eto'o is replaced by Kenyan midfielder McDonald Mariga as Inter throw another body behind the ball.
85'
ROCKING
The Nou Camp is absolutely rocking - the decibel levels must be off the scale. It's kitchen sink time and a half. Doubts over whether Pique was offside but it's a very tight call.
84'
BARCELONA 1-0 INTER MILAN
Grandstand finish, here we come. Xavi slips a cheeky pass into the box where GERARD PIQUE - chucked up front for the dying minutes - has evaded Inter's defence. He draws Cesar out, stops and swivels on the ball before slamming into the empty net.
82'
BIG CHANCE
That was it - that was the big, big chance Barcelona have been searching for all night long. Messi, 30 yards out to the left of the box, looks up and clips a beauty onto Bojan's head. He's ghosted in unnoticed and is just six yards out, but doesn't get a good contact on the ball and nods very tamely wide. Gilt-edged.
81'
INTER SUB
As if it wasn't ten men behind the ball already... Ivan Cordoba replaces Inter's only striker Diego Milito.
78'
NO ONE THERE
Jeffren bursts to the byline and crosses low towards Bojan - he can't direct towards goal but there's no one else near the six yard box and makeshift left-back Eto'o puts the ball behind.
77'
TO NOTHING
Another corner for Barca but it comes to nothing. Just 13 minutes to go and I'm struggling to recall Julio Cesar's last save.
75'
ALMIGHTY ROAR
Barca stretch Inter slightly in the box as Alves and Pedro look to combine. A white shirt is there, though, and the visitors clear. The home crowd are still with their team and let out an almighty roar.
73'
KEITA SHOT
Keita, he of the hopeful long shots, hopefully shoots from long range. Don't think he's even got one on target yet and this effort is no different.
72'
CORNER
A very rare venture forward from the visitors and Maicon wins a corner. Victor Valdes wakes from his slumber but he doesn't have to deal with Milito's outswinger as Lucio is penalised for a foul.
71'
MILKED
Lucio and Keita clash in the box. Again, nothing in it but Lucio milks it for all it's worth.
68'
ORDINARY
Inter are making Barcelona look like a very ordinary side. Just 23 minutes left to hold on for the ten men.
67'
INTER SUB
Wesley Sneijder, who is carrying a hamstring injury, is replaced by former Portsmouth enforcer Sulley Muntari.
66'
NOTHING DOING
Free kick and a corner for Barca but there's nothing doing. Inter have barely had the ball in the home side's half since the break. Samuel Eto'o is practically playing as a left back.
63'
FINAL CHANGE
And Pep Guardiola uses his last substitute a few seconds later. Jeffren on, Busquets off. Thierry Henry will play no part tonight.
63'
BARCA SUB
Second change of the night and for the second leg in a row Zlatan Ibrahimovic is withdrawn early on. Bojan is thrown up front in his place.
62'
GIVE AND GO
Messi takes the ball by the horns, playing a give-and-go with Zlatan into the box. However Lucio and Chivu crowd the Argentine out, who merely falls to the floor looking for a penalty. This really is magnificent defending from the Italians.
61'
PEDRO SHOT
Pedro drifts in from the left and drives a poor shot past the post. Again, that's what Inter want to be seeing.
60'
PLAYING TO ALVES
Barca's plan often seems to be to play in Alves down the right flank. The Brazilian is finding plenty of room - he clips a cross into the box but Inter deal with the danger.
58'
LONG RANGER
And again, Inter reduce Barca to a long range pooper. Yaya Toure the guilty party this time.
57'
NOT HAPPENING
Big build up for Barca as they spray the ball around Inter's box, but the culmination is an awful Maxwell cross which goes straight behind for a goal kick. It's just not happening for the reigning European champions.
55'
WELL WIDE
Alves tries his luck from range but drags the shot well wide of Cesar's post.
54'
NO PENALTY
Ibrahimovic, who is tying with Messi for the least effective impact up front for Barca award, goes down under a nothing Lucio challenge in the box. No penalty.
52'
NO HEADWAY
Barca aren't making any headway yet and soon the clock will be counting down from 30 minutes. Remember, they need two goals to knock Inter out on away goals. If Inter score, Barca will need three to force extra time.
49'
THROUGH BALLS
Predictable start to the half as Barca play a couple of hopeful through balls into Inter's box, neither of which causes any problems.
46'
SECOND HALF
Inter take an age to stroll onto the field, but finally we're up and running again at the Nou Camp.
46'
BARCELONA CHANGE
Pep Guardiola has made a change at the break, with the attack-minded Maxwell replacing Gabriel Milito on the left side of Barca's three-man defence.
45'
HALF TIME
Very much a case of style v substance at the Nou Camp as Inter quite comfortable resist Barcelona's charms with a sterlingly defensive first half display. Motta's red card has been the talking point and that may come back to haunt Inter if they get tired late on, but for now it's Pep Guardiola who needs to do some thinking.
44'
FLASHED WIDE
Ibrahimovic optimistically lashes the resulting free kick a couple of yards past the post. Fabulous hit, but lacking the accuracy to trouble Cesar.
43'
BOOKING
First dodgy decision of the night from the Belgian referee. With Sneijder down injured Inter want the ball put out. Barca play on and Chivu takes out Messi 40 yards out with a perfectly legitimate ball-winning tackle. However, the ref says that's a foul and a yellow card.
39'
GREAT BLOCK
Alves cuts a deep cross back to Ibrahimovic who needs a touch to control before he can shoot from ten yards. This allows Samuel to throw his body at the ball and the chance is gone.
38'
CHANGES AFOOT?
Having said that, though, Barca are by no means at their fluent best tonight. Changes could be afoot early on in the second half, with Henry and Bojan the prime candidates.
37'
STUBBORN
Keita is nearly played in down the left of the box but Lucio is alert to the danger. Inter's defensive stubbornness is seriously impressive.
35'
BOOKING
Well that had been coming. Julio Cesar is booked for time wasting. Credit to the referee for flashing the card so early - he won't be so slow from now on I can bet you.
32'
MESSI CHANCE
First glimpse of Lionel Messi's genius tonight. He skips inside from the right and curls a beauty towards the bottom corner. It looks in all the way but Julio Cesar sticks out his right hand and diverts the ball wide. Fantastic save.
30'
LETTER OF THE LAW
There's no way it's a red card, if you regard football as a man's game. By the letter of the law, though, contact with the face seems to be strictly forbidden. Motta shouldn't have given Busquets the excuse to go down.
29'
RUEFUL JOSE
Motta then grabs Busquets to have his say before leaving the field. A rueful Jose Mourinho smile, and then mocking applause towards the partisan Barca fans, tells you what he thinks of the decision.
28'
RED CARD
Well that changes things, big style. Motta places a palm on Busquets' face as the two chase possession near the touchline. There's absolutely nothing in it but Busquets needs no excuse to go down. Motta has already been booked but it's a straight red card.
27'
BOOKING
Pedro races back to foul Eto'o as the Cameroonian breaks at pace. That's a booking.
25'
SNIFF OF GOAL
First sniff of a chance for the visitors but Eto'o can't control the ball in the box. It's out for a corner, which Busquets clear.
24'
TACTICS WORKING
Just over a quarter of the game gone and Inter's smothering tactics are working nicely thank you very much. Lionel Messi has been almost anonymous.
23'
JUST WIDE
Alves is again Barca's architect, crossing to Pedro whose first-time volley from the edge of the box flashes wide of Cesar's left-hand post. Decent attempt.
22'
HASTILY CLEARED
Alves sweeps a cross to Zlatan who tries to nod towards Xavi, but Inter smother the danger and hastily clear.
21'
LONELY
Perhaps the only man with a task harder than that of Frank De Bleeckere tonight is Diego Milito. Inter's lone and lonely front man isn't really making the ball stick so far - for the first time he gets towards the byline but with no support his cross goes unrewarded.
20'
WASTED CHANCE
Xavi cleverly flicks the ball away from Cambiasso and suddenly finds Inter's third open to him, 30 yards out with two defenders backing off. Instead of shooting, though, Xavi's natural urge is to pass to Zlatan and the ball is intercepted.
17'
FIRST ATTACK
First attack of the night from the Italians and makeshift left winger Cristian Chivu sends a low cross into the arms of Victor Valdes.
16'
BIGGEST TEST
The referee really has got a job on his hands tonight. Surely the biggest test of his career. Inter are snapping at the heels of Barca whenever they have the ball, but the hosts will take up any opportunity to go to ground. The crowd, too, are baying for blood. So far the Belgian has got everything right.
14'
ATTACK V DEFENCE
It's attack v defence in the Nou Camp and it may stay that way for some time. Inter are more than happy to sit deep and let Barca do the talking.
12'
TALKING TO
Messi helps Maicon to the floor as the right back shepherds the ball out for a goal kick. He hits the advertising boardings and requires some treatment. Messi is given a talking to.
11'
SHIRT TORN
Ibrahimovic and Lucio have a bit of a ding dong from a Barca free kick into the box. The Swede's shirt is torn to bits - as he's keen to point out to Mr De Bleeckere - but it's six of one and half a dozen of the other.
10'
BOOKING
Two late trips from Thiago Motta - another former Barca player - inside a minute earns him the first booking of the evening. It's clear Inter are here to frustrate.
7'
TIME WASTING
The home fans are already making an issue with how long Julio Cesar is taking over his goal kicks. To be fair it looks like the Brazilian is walking in slow motion.
6'
ALL BARCA
It's all Barca early on. Milito and Keita should do better with half-chances from the edge of the box, but neither can find the target.
4'
FORMER FAVOURITES
A tackle on former Barca favourite Samuel Eto'o brings a noisy cheer from the home supporters. That's one of many sub-plots at the Nou Camp tonight, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and of course Jose Mourinho also facing their former club.
3'
PEDRO SHOT
Pedro flies inside Maicon and lashes a fiercely-struck shot across goal and wide.
2'
ON THE BENCH
Young Austrian striker Marko Arnautovic has taken the vacant place on Inter's bench.
2'
DIRECT REPLACEMENT
Chivu has directly replaced Pandev on the left side of Inter's midfield.
1'
DEAFENING
A huge roar greets kick off as 96,000 Catalans try and deafen Inter into submission. Don't think I've ever heard this stadium so loud.
1'
KICK OFF
Frank De Bleeckere, tonight's Belgian referee, blows his whistle and Barca get the ball rolling.
0'
MOMENTS AWAY
The Champions League anthem has been gustily sung and we're just moments away from kick off.
0'
3-4-3?
Yep, it's Chivu in and Pandev out for the visitors. Incidentally the team sheet is showing that Barca are playing 3-4-3, with Milito, Pique and Toure at the back, Alves right wing and Keita left wing. Very interesting.
0'
SPECTACLE
The Nou Camp is a beautiful spectacle tonight - every fan is holding up a coloured card - either red, yellow or blue - and the stadium looks truly magnificent. They're making one heck of a racket, too. What an occasion.
0'
CHIVU IN
We're hearing that Cristian Chivu is a late entry into Inter's starting line up, replacing Goran Pandev who is injured. More on that when we get in - the teams are out any second now.
0'
LINE UPS
Barcelona bring in Diego's brother Gabriel Milito for the suspended Carlos Puyol, while Yaya Toure replaces Maxwell. Jose Mourinho names the same XI which won the first leg 3-1, meaning Goran Pandev passes a fitness test on a thigh injury. BARCELONA: Valdes; Alves, Milito, Pique, Toure; Xavi, Busquets, Keita; Messi, Ibrahimovic, Pedro. Subs: Pinto, Marquez, Maxwell, Jeffren, Thiago, Bojan, Henry. INTER: Cesar; Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Zanetti; Motta, Sneijder, Cambiasso; Eto'o, Milito, Pandev. Subs: Toldo, Cordoba, Materazzi, Chivu, Muntari, Mariga, Balotelli.
0'
TEAM NEWS
Barcelona captain Carlos Puyol misses out through suspension after picking up a booking in the San Siro last week. Pep Guardiola is also very likely to be without Eric Abidal (groin) and Andres Iniesta (thigh). Inter have Dejan Stankovic suspended and are sweating on the fitness of Goran Pandev (thigh). Influential playmaker Wesley Sneijder is expected to start despite carrying a hamstring problem.
0'
PREVIEW
As far as Champions League semi finals go, this is as appetising as they come. Barcelona, the widely-regarded finest football team on the planet, face one of their biggest tests in recent seasons as they try and reverse a 3-1 deficit from last week's first leg in Milan. The prize for doing so? A place in next month's final against Bayern Munich in none other than the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, home of Barca's such hated rivals, Real Madrid. As for Inter, well simply put tonight's game is their most important for many many years. A side with such a rich history, the Nerazzurri haven't reached the final of Europe's premier football competition for years. That's some wait, but in just a few hours time Mourinho's men could well be back.
