Champions League 2018/19: Internazionale vs Barcelona

This match analysis was first featured on our dedicated Barcelona site, barcelonaanalysis.com.

Barcelona travelled to the iconic San Siro this Tuesday and met Inter Milan in the fourth leg of the Champions League group stage. After securing the win at the Camp Nou two weeks ago, the Catalans were on a quest to find yet another which would see them officially top the group and proceed to the knockout stages safely. In the end, the teams shared the spoils of war after a one-all draw on a rain-soaked podium.

The hosts will be quite content with the result while the visitors can only regret all those missed chances in front of the goal, courtesy of a truly inspired Handanović between the sticks.

This tactical analysis will use statistics to try and explain how things went down in Milan and how Nerazzurri held off a dominant Blaugrana side and secured a big point.

Line ups

Barca (4-3-3): Ter Stegen  Roberto, Pique, Lenglet, Alba  Busquets, Rakitić, Arthur  Coutinho, Dembele, Suarez

Bench: Cillessen, Semedo, Chumi, Vidal, Rafinha, Alena, Malcom

Coach: Ernesto Valverde

Inter Milan (4-1-4-1): Handanović  Vrsaljko, de Vrij, Skriniar, Asamoah  Vecino, Brozović, Politano, Nainggolan, Perišić – Icardi

Bench: Padelli, Martinez, Keita Balde, Valero, DAmbrosio, Miranda, Candreva

Coach: Luciano Spalletti

The Setup

Barcelona

No big changes were expected once again for the away team which now definitely has its gala XI almost set in stone. Ernesto Valverde decided to field mostly the same team that managed to keep his record clean in the past couple of weeks. Still, the more conservative option in Rafinha was dropped in favour of the more pacey and unpredictable Ousmane Dembele, which yielded mixed results for Barcelona.

The rest of the squad was intact and operated in a familiar 4-3-3 system. Tactical transitions were also made when there was a change of personnel within the ranks. In the end, some unlikely heroes broke the deadlock for the Catalans but alas it was not enough to get the victory.