Champions League semifinals: Barcelona-Inter revives memories of 2010 epic and Arsenal hosts PSG

The free-flowing attack of Barcelona comes up against the rugged, smothering defense of Inter Milan in the Champions League semifinals.

Ring any bells?

Go back to 2010 — when Lamine Yamal was not even 3 years old and Lionel Messi was close to his prime — and Camp Nou was the scene of one of the most memorable matches in Champions League history, between the same teams going head-to-head there again on Wednesday.

Protecting a 3-1 lead from the first leg, Inter — coached at the time by Jose Mourinho — delivered a defensive masterclass against Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona to survive with 10 men for more than an hour and lose just 1-0 to progress to the title match.

Memories will come flooding back ahead of the rematch this week, especially with the two protagonists owning the same traits as 15 years ago.

Barcelona is back in the Champions League semifinals for the first time since the 2018-19 season, on the back of by far the best attack in the new-look, 36-team league stage. With Yamal, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski up front, Barca scored 28 goals in eight games — and has netted nine more goals in eliminating Benfica and Borussia Dortmund in the knockouts.

Then there’s Inter, the Italian champion, which conceded just once in eight games in the first stage and held on grimly to oust Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals.

Inter won the 2010 final, against Bayern, for a third European Cup title so its run toward the final this season has echoes of that title-winning campaign.

While the Barcelona-Inter Milan semifinal is awash with history, this one seems relatively fresh.

Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain have met just three times in the Champions League and never in the knockout stage. One of those occasions was this season, when Arsenal won 2-0 at Emirates Stadium.

And it’s at home that the Gunners play on Tuesday in the first leg, hoping to reproduce the exploits that saw them beat defending champion Real Madrid in both legs in the quarterfinals.

Their opponents, however, are aiming to eliminate an English opponent for the third straight round, after seeing off Liverpool and — less impressively — Aston Villa.

With its “galacticos” — Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Messi — long gone, PSG is bidding to win a first Champions League title by going with talented up-and-coming players instead.

Arsenal is also striving to become European champion for the first time, having not reached the semis since 2009.

Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

PSG's head coach Luis Enrique reacts during the League One soccer match between PSG and Nice in Paris Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

PSG's Vitinha, left, and Bradley Barcola stand. dejected after the League One soccer match between PSG and Nice in Paris Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Arsenal's Leandro Trossard celebrates with teammates after scoring his sides second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace at Emirates stadium in London, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

FILE - Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho, of Portugal, reacts after a Champions League semifinal soccer match, second leg, between Barcelona and Inter Milan, at the Nou Camp stadium in Barcelona, Spain, on April 28, 2010. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni, File)

Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta gestures during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace at Emirates stadium in London, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Inter Milan players celebrate at the end of 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 Lautaro Martinez, Inter Milan's Nicolo Barella, Inter Milan's Federico Dimarco celebrates during the Uefa Champions League soccer match between Inter and Bayern Munich at San Siro Stadium in Milan, North Italy, Wednesday April 16, 2025. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)

Barcelona players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Spanish Copa del Rey final soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid at Estadio de La Cartuja stadium in Seville, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates after winning the Spanish Copa del Rey final soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid at Estadio de La Cartuja stadium in Seville, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The chief financial official for the Pentagon told lawmakers that the estimated cost of the war with Iran is $25 billion.

During a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee, Jules Hurst III, the acting undersecretary of war for finances, said Wednesday that most of that money has been spent on munitions. The military has also spent money on running the operations and replacing equipment.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced questioning from lawmakers Wednesday for the first time since the Trump administration went to war with Iran, a decision that Democrats say has led to a costly conflict of choice waged without congressional approval.

The hearing before the House Armed Services Committee was being held to discuss the administration's 2027 military budget proposal, which would boost defense spending to a historic $1.5 trillion. Hegseth and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, are expected to stress the need for more drones, missile defense systems and warships.

Democrats are likely to pivot quickly to the ballooning costs of the war, the huge drawdown of critical U.S. munitions and the bombing of a school that killed children. Some lawmakers may also question Trump's dealings with allies and how prepared the military was to shoot down swarms of Iranian drones, some of which penetrated U.S. defenses and killed or wounded American troops.

“You can win a whole lot of little small battles and lose the war, which is why you don’t stumble into the war in the first place," said Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, the top Democrat on the committee. "As I look at it, the strategy seems to be to use as much violence, as much threats, as much coercion as possible to bend the world to our will. I think that is a very dangerous strategy.”

While a fragile ceasefire is now in place, the U.S. and Israel launched the war Feb. 28 without congressional oversight. House and Senate Democrats have failed to pass multiple war power resolutions that would have required President Donald Trump to halt the conflict until Congress authorizes further action.

Republicans have said they will keep faith in Trump’s wartime leadership, for now, citing Iran’s nuclear program, the potential for talks to resume and the high stakes of withdrawal. Still, GOP lawmakers are eager for the conflict to end, and some are eyeing future votes that could become an important test for the president if the war drags on.

Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, opened Wednesday's hearing by focusing on Trump's call to increase military spending. He pointed to recent increases in defense spending by China, Russia and Iran.

“We don’t have enough munitions, ships, aircraft or autonomous systems to ensure dominance against every adversary," Rogers said. “They are spending more of their GDP on defense than we are.”

Iran's closing of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping corridor for the world's oil, has sent fuel prices skyrocketing and posed problems for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections. The U.S. has responded with a Navy blockade of Iranian shipping and further built up its military forces in the region. Three American aircraft carriers are in the Middle East for the first time in more than 20 years.

The countries appear locked in a stalemate, with Trump unlikely to accept Tehran's latest offer to reopen the strait if the U.S. ends the war, lifts its sea blockade and postpones nuclear talks.

Hegseth has avoided public questioning from lawmakers about the war, although he and Caine have held televised Pentagon briefings. Hegseth has mostly taken questions from conservative journalists, while citing Bible passages to castigate mainstream outlets.

The defense secretary will face a much different dynamic Wednesday as well as on Thursday, when he and Caine also are set to face the Senate Armed Services Committee. Lawmakers' questions are likely to go beyond the budget and even the war to Hegseth's ousting of top military leaders.

Besides Navy Secretary John Phelan's departure last week, Hegseth recently ousted the Army’s top uniformed officer, Gen. Randy George, as well as several other top generals, admirals and defense leaders.

“Tell us why. You know these are important positions. We are in a war posture with Iran,” said North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican.

Tillis, who was a crucial vote to confirming the defense secretary, added that Hegseth’s management of the Pentagon had caused him to have second thoughts on his support.

“He may be able to clean it up, but on its face, you don’t go through the number of highly reputable, senior-level officials, admirals and generals,” Tillis added.

Rep. Austin Scott, a Georgia Republican, condemned George's termination during a House Armed Services Committee hearing last week, saying that “some of us are not through asking the questions about that.”

“I think the firing of Gen. George was an extreme disservice to the United States Army,” Scott said. “And I think it was reckless conduct.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine speaks to members of the media during a press briefing at the Pentagon, Thursday, April 16, 2026 in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)