Thuram and Dumfries return to energize Inter in draw at Barcelona in Champions League semifinals

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Marcus Thuram and Denzel Dumfries returned and so did the goals for Inter Milan.

Dumfries scored two and set up the opener for Thuram as Inter drew 3-3 at Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal on Wednesday.

“I’m happy, it was a difficult period for me because of the injury but now I’m back,” Dumfries told broadcaster Amazon Prime. “It was certainly a great return.”

Inter had lost its previous three matches without scoring a goal — the first time that had happened in more than 13 years. That run had seen it surrender its Serie A lead and exit the Italian Cup.

Thuram had missed those three matches with a left thigh injury. Dumfries had been sidelined for even longer, missing eight matches with a hamstring problem before returning as a late substitute last weekend.

The duo immediately showed Inter what it had been missing as Thuram back-heeled in a cross by Dumfries to stun Barcelona just seconds after kickoff.

One person in the stands who remained unmoved by the sublime strike was Thuram’s father — former Parma, Juventus and Barcelona defender Lilian Thuram.

“He’s a difficult father, he always wants more from me,” Thuram said with a smile. “I think he was happy but not more than that because we were only at the start of the match.

“I'm happy to be back on the field. At this point of the season many players aren't 100% but even when you're not at your best you want to give everything for this shirt.”

It was Thuram’s 18th goal of the season for Inter. He has also weighed in with nine assists.

Dumfries then doubled Inter’s lead in the 21st minute with a bicycle kick. He became the first Dutch player to both score and assist in a Champions League semifinal since Wesley Sneijder — coincidentally also for Inter against Barcelona, in 2010.

Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres hauled the hosts level shortly before halftime but Dumfries notched his second in the 64th, heading home a corner kick to put Inter back ahead.

“We have missed Thuram and Dumfries,” Inter coach Simone Inzaghi said. “Thuram returned to training yesterday and I don't think he kicked a ball until the warmup tonight. They had a great game.”

However, Barcelona was quickly back level when Raphinha’s blistering shot from outside the top of the box struck the crossbar and ricocheted in off the back of Yann Sommer, going down as an own goal by the Inter goalkeeper.

“We had a good game,” Dumfries said. “I think after three straight defeats we saw the real Inter, playing with heart. I’m proud of us.

“Obviously we wanted to win but I think it was a good game and everything’s still open, we’ll see at San Siro.”

The second leg will be next week in Milan. 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.

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

Inter Milan's Marcus Thuram, left, celebrates with his teammates 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)

Inter Milan's Denzel Dumfries, left, scores his side's third 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)

Inter Milan's Denzel Dumfries, center, celebrates with his teammates after scoring his side's third 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)

Inter Milan's Denzel Dumfries, right, 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 Denzel Dumfries, third right, scores 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)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.

Iran had no immediate reaction to the news, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.

Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”

Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.

“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”

He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate.”

Iran through country's parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.

More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.

Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.

In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.

Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”

Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.

“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people, ... refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence, and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warned.

The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.

Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.

In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)