Crazy scenario at Camp Nou!

Qualified before the break, the Catalans then thought they were ousted from the competition twice, but the Polish goleador allowed the Blaugranas to keep a slim hope.

In a boiling and almost full stadium (92,302 people), Xavi's men played their all out, and began to believe it before the break: French winger Ousmane Dembélé opened the scoring in the 40th minute by cutting a cross from Sergi Roberto, electrifying the whole stadium.

But the Nerazzurri reacted to the return from the locker room: in the 50th, Nicolo Barella was found deep by Alessandro Bastoni.

He controls from the chest before adjusting Marc-André ter Stegen from the left, and puts Inter back in the game.

Xavi glares at Gerard Pique, who has covered Barella with haphazard defensive positioning.

In the 63rd, after captain Sergio Busquets lost the ball in the middle of the field, Eric Garcia let Lautaro Martinez control a long ball at the entrance to the surface, and adjust a millimeter strike which hit the two posts before entering the cage.

Ter Stegen capital

The Catalans will always believe in it after Robert Lewandowski's equalizer in the 82nd, on a deflected kick that surprised André Onana... but the joy will be quickly cut off by Robin Gosens' goal in the 89th, celebrated with effusion by the whole bench nerazzurri, entered the lawn to jump into the arms of the German.

Robert Lewandowski scored the equalizer for FC Barcelona in the 3-3 draw against Inter Milan on October 12, 2022 at Camp Nou Josep LAGO AFP

A goal to which "Lewy" will respond in stride (90th + 2), with an equalizing header on a cross from Eric Garcia which will blow the Blaugrana supporters, before going to get the ball in the cages to try to push the nail.

Barça can also thank Marc-André ter Stegen: the German goalkeeper was decisive at the very end of the match, winning a duel against Darmian.

A capital stop for the survival of the Blaugranas in the competition.

An eviction at this stage would be as catastrophic as it is historic for the Blaugranas, who have already been transferred to the Europa League last season.

Barca haven't missed the Champions League knockout stage twice in a row since the 1998-99 season.

Barca, mission impossible

For Inter, the disappointment is immense: the Italians have twice believed they have sealed their ticket, but will still have to scrap during the last two days.

In case of victory against the modest Plzen during the next day, the Italians will be in 8th and will eliminate Barça.

It is therefore almost mission impossible for the Catalans, who approach the clasico de Liga against Real Madrid on Sunday (4:15 p.m.) crippled with doubts.

For Dembélé too, the evening was ruined: the French international, who went from being a scapegoat to that of a public darling in the space of eight months, reached his peak of form a month before the World Cup in Qatar (20 November - December 18).

On fire on Wednesday, he scored his first goal in almost two years in the Champions League, his last achievement dating back to December 2, 2020 against Ferencvaros.

For the clasico, Xavi will however have to make urgent defensive adjustments, as the errors of Gerard Pique and Eric Garcia penalized his team on Wednesday evening.

Because the specter of the Europa League is already there.

© 2022 AFP