Barcelona and Inter Milan draw 3-3 in thrilling first leg of their Champions League semifinal

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Lamine Yamal's curler that went in off the post after the teenager's great dribble? Marcus Thuram's nifty back-heeled flick? Raphinha's missile that hit the bar and the goalkeeper before finding the net?

And don’t forget Denzel Dumfries’ bicycle kick, before he scored again with a powerful header.

You have your pick of great goals from Barcelona and Inter Milan’s thrilling 3-3 draw to start their Champions League semifinal on Wednesday, setting up a must-see sequel next week in Milan.

Opta Stats said it was joint-highest highest score for a draw in a Champions League semifinals since Bayern Munich and Dynamo Kiev finished with the same score in April 1999.

What was supposed to be a contrast of styles between the top-scoring Barcelona and the stingiest defense in the competition turned into a shootout.

“We saw a fantastic match and we knew that semifinals are difficult. We could even have won," Inter coach Simone Inzaghi said. “Our fans know that we’ve been giving our utmost in difficult times and we know that Tuesday will be a ‘final.'"

Inter matched Barcelona's firepower with two goals from corner kicks, and the hosts needed another stellar performance from 17-year-old Yamal in his 100th appearance for his club.

Except for Inter’s start and strength in set pieces, Barcelona imposed its game and had 66% possession and created 10 shots on goal to Inter’s three, according to UEFA's stats — but had to settle for a draw.

Thuram was a doubt for the starting 11 after missing Inter’s previous three matches — all losses without a goal. But the striker used the back of his heel to turn in a cross by Dumfries to stun the hosts just seconds after kickoff.

Dumfries then put Inter into what appeared to be a comfortable lead when he scored his first of two goals with a bicycle kick after a corner kick was headed onto him in the 21st.

Yamal sparked Barcelona into action in the 24th when he dribbled past two defenders and sliced a shot in off the far post. He went close to an equalizer moments later after gliding down the endline and firing a shot with just a sliver off an angle off the crossbar.

“Yamal is a fantastic player, in the big matches you can see his quality, and he showed it today,” Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said about his forward.

“At 2-0 down," he continued, "I knew that this was a semifinal between great clubs and I knew that the huge experience they have was being demonstrated. They are good at set plays too, but Lamine showed us the way forward. His goal to make it 2-1 was so important.”

Ferran Torres rammed in a headed pass by Raphinha to equalize for Barcelona in the 38th.

Inter suffered another blow when Lautaro Martínez had to be substituted at halftime, but Dumfries charged in to head home a corner kick to put Inter back ahead in the 63rd.

Raphinha needed two minutes to pull Barcelona level again when his blistering shot from outside the top of the box struck the crossbar, ricocheted off the back of goalkeeper Yann Sommer and found the net.

“Playing at home, we had the obligation to win,” Raphinha said. “But the result is not that bad and we will prepare for the second game so we come out on top.”

Barcelona is trying to reach its first final since 2015, when it collected its fifth title. In its first season under Flick, the Spanish club is also trying to repeat the treble of major trophies it won a decade ago.

Inter is aiming for its second final in three years, after losing to Manchester City in the trophy match in 2023.

The last time three-time winner Inter lifted the European Cup it beat Barcelona at the same stage in 2010.

The winner will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal in Munich on May 31. PSG beat Arsenal 1-0 in London on Tuesday in their first match.

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Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates after scoring during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Inter Milan's Yann Bisseck, left, and Barcelona's Ronald Araujo fight for the ball during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Inter Milan players celebrate after a goal during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Inter Milan's Denzel Dumfries, center, scores during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, center, is challenged by Inter Milan's Carlos Augusto, left, and Inter Milan's Henrikh Mkhitaryan during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, left, and Inter Milan's Henrikh Mkhitaryan fight for the ball during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Barcelona's goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny clears the ball in front of Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Ferran Torres celebrates after scoring during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Barcelona's Ferran Torres, left, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Ferran Torres, left, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Jules Kounde, right, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during 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)

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)

Barcelona's Raphinha, centre, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's fourth goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Celta de Vigo at the Lluis Companys Olympic stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez celebrates 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 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. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Arsenal ensured it will end the year top of the Premier League after beating Aston Villa 4-1 at home in a powerful statement win on Tuesday with all goals scored in the second half.

The fourth goal, scored by substitute Gabriel Jesus one minute after coming on, highlighted the depth of Arsenal's bench this season and coach Mikel Arteta jubilantly high-fived his assistants at the final whistle.

Victory moved Arsenal five points ahead of Manchester City, which plays at Sunderland on New Year's Day, and six points clear of third-place Villa.

Elsewhere, Chelsea drew 2-2 at home to Bournemouth; Newcastle won 3-1 at lowly Burnley; and Manchester United was held 1-1 at home to rock-bottom Wolverhampton.

Struggling West Ham drew 2-2 with visiting Brighton, and Everton won 2-0 at Nottingham Forest.

No Arsenal player is near the top of the scorers’ charts this season, yet sharing the goals around might just be the team’s strength.

Defender Gabriel Magalhães headed home early in the second half following a corner for set-piece specialist Arsenal, and midfielder Martín Zubimendi netted in the 52nd minute.

Winger Leandro Trossard curled in a fine third from the edge of the penalty area in the 69th and was involved in the fourth goal, curled into the same corner from almost the same spot in the 78th minute by Jesus after Arsenal had launched a superb counterattack from deep.

The win was even more impressive considering Arsenal was missing key midfielder Declan Rice with a knee injury and Villa was playing on the back of 11 straight victories in all competitions.

Gabriel nodded in from close range and was deemed not to have impeded Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez with his elbow.

Zubimendi finished confidently after captain Martin Ødegaard expertly won the ball in midfield and advanced before threading a perfect ball behind Villa’s defense.

Ollie Watkins grabbed an injury-time consolation for Villa.

Bournemouth's David Brooks netted early from close range after Chelsea failed to deal with a throw-in from the right.

Cole Palmer equalized in the 15th with a penalty awarded after a video review ruled that Antoine Semenyo’s knee had gone into the back of forward Estevão’s leg.

Midfielder Enzo Fernández gave Chelsea the lead midway through the first half, but Chelsea gifted Bournemouth an equalizer when a defender headed on a throw-in from the left and Justin Kluivert scored at the back post for 2-2.

Chelsea is fifth and level on 30 points with United in sixth.

Manchester United led through Joshua Zirkzee’s deflected strike in the 27th but Ladislav Krejčí equalized close to halftime for Wolves with a powerful downward header.

It was Wolves manager Rob Edwards' first point since taking charge in November.

Patrick Dorgu’s injury-time goal for United was ruled out for offside by VAR.

Yoane Wissa grabbed his first league goal since joining from Brentford as Newcastle moved into 10th spot.

Newcastle was 2-0 up inside seven minutes with Joelinton being set up from the left wing by Anthony Gordon and Wissa bundling in from close range following a goalmouth scramble.

Josh Laurent pulled a goal back for Burnley midway through the first half. Newcastle survived nervy moments before Bruno Guimarães sealed the win with an expert lob in stoppage time.

Next-to-last Burnley is two points behind West Ham in 18th.

Everton netted in the 19th when James Garner drilled in a low finish after being set up down the right by Dwight McNeil.

Garner then turned neatly in midfield before feeding Thierno Barry with a defense-splitting pass to make it 2-0 against Forest in the 79th.

West Ham took an early lead against Brighton when striker Jarrod Bowen latched onto Lucas Paquetá’s exquisite through ball from halfway and struck a low shot into the bottom corner.

Veteran forward Danny Welbeck equalized for Brighton from the penalty spot for his eighth goal of the season, and then hit the crossbar with a Panenka-style chipped penalty later in the first half.

Paquetá converted his spot kick with a staggered run-up in first-half injury time, but Joël Veltman equalized for Brighton in the 61st following a corner.

Defending champion Liverpool hosts Leeds on Thursday.

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

Manchester United's Joshua Zirkzee celebrates after he scored the opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Chelsea's Joao Pedro, top, helps Wesley Fofana stand up after the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Bournemouth in London, England, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Arsenal's Gabriel, left, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Aston Villa in London, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP photo/Alastair Grant)

Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Aston Villa in London, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP photo/Alastair Grant)

Arsenal's Martin Zubimendi celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Aston Villa in London, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP photo/Alastair Grant)