Champions League semifinals: Inter and Barcelona evenly poised, PSG holds a narrow lead over Arsenal

PARIS (AP) — Scoring three away goals should make Inter Milan feel confident heading into the return leg of its Champions League semifinal against Barcelona on Tuesday.

Inter might not think so, considering Barcelona’s ability to conjure goals out of nowhere with the world’s best young player in the side.

Inter was 2-0 up after 21 minutes in the first leg, before 17-year-old Spain star Lamine Yamal scored a stunning goal and Barcelona fought back to draw 3-3 at home in a pulsating contest packed with spectacular goals.

Stopping Yamal is hard enough, but then there's Raphinha — who is merely Barcelona's other Ballon d'Or contender.

With his long-range shooting and speedy attacks through the middle or down the flanks, he is a permanent threat. The Brazilian has 12 goals in the competition, one more than strike partner Robert Lewandowski.

But for all of Barcelona's firepower, the defense remains vulnerable and coach Hansi Flick is under pressure to make the right calls.

He kept Wojciech Szczęsny in goal, even though No. 1 Marc-André ter Stegen has recovered from a long-term knee injury and played in Saturday's 2-1 win at Valladolid.

Barcelona is looking to win the competition for the sixth time, while Inter seeks a fourth title. Inter won in 2010, beating Barca in a tense semifinal.

Players and coaches have been warning about the damaging effects of a congested calendar.

Look no further than Barcelona and Inter for examples.

Barcelona defender Jules Koundé sustained a left hamstring injury in the first leg and the prolific Lewandowski has been nursing a minor left leg injury for two weeks.

Lewandowksi has netted 40 goals this season and needs one more goal to hit 100 for Barcelona.

Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martínez also went off injured in the first leg.

Strike partner Marcus Thuram, who scored a superb back-heel flick in the first leg, only returned from a thigh injury last week.

Paris Saint-Germain is hopeful 33-goal top scorer Ousmane Dembélé will be fit to start on Wednesday.

The star forward limped off with a minor hamstring pull against Arsenal in the semifinal first leg in London, which PSG won 1-0.

Neither side has won the competition, both have lost a final.

PSG reached the semis last season but Arsenal reached this stage for the first time since 2009.

Coach Luis Enrique has transformed PSG into a slick and cohesive unit since Kylian Mbappé's offseason departure to Real Madrid.

After falling short with world famous stars, there is genuine belief among PSG fans that this young and vibrant team can finally win the Champions League having cut ties with the over-hyped Galacticos era.

Much of that is down to Luis Enrique's hard-nosed ability to generate competition for places, with no favorable treatment like in previous years.

However, he rested his main players on Saturday and shrugged off PSG's 2-1 loss at Strasbourg, the club's second straight defeat in Ligue 1 albeit with the league title already won.

He has his eyes on a much bigger prize, but PSG does not carry the same threat without Dembélé.

Arsenal also lost on Saturday, 2-1 at home to Bournemouth.

Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta pledged to use “the frustration, rage and anger” from the Premier League defeat to fire up his players against PSG.

He needs more than that.

Arsenal was found wanting tactically in the first leg, where PSG dominated the first half and scored when a 26-pass move led to Dembélé's goal.

Star player Bukayo Saka was shut down by PSG winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who has a remarkable ability to attack and defend equally well on the left flank.

Saka's duel with Kvaratskhelia could be crucial, while Arteta needs a vastly improved performance in midfield from captain Martin Ødegaard.

Arteta deployed him too far forward in the first leg, and by the time he dropped back PSG was in control.

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PSG's Ousmane Dembele, right, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at Emirates Stadium in London, England, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)

Barcelona's Raphinha reacts after a missed scoring opportunity during the Spanish Copa del Rey final soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid at Estadio de La Cartuja stadium in Seville, Spain, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez, center top, watches from the tribune during the Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Hellas Verona at the San Siro Stadium, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Arsenal's Bukayo Saka, left, fights for the ball with PSG's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at Emirates Stadium in London, England, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Arsenal's Bukayo Saka controls the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth at Emirates stadium in London, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

PSG players celebrate after their teammate Ousmane Dembele scored his side's opening goal during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at Emirates Stadium in London, England, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

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)

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)

DENVER (AP) — A Frontier Airlines plane hit and killed a pedestrian on the runway of the Denver International Airport during takeoff, airport authorities said, sparking an engine fire and forcing passengers to evacuate.

The plane, on route from Denver to Los Angeles International Airport, “reported striking a pedestrian during takeoff at DEN at approximately 11:19 p.m. on Friday," the airport's official X account wrote.

A spokesperson for the airport said the pedestrian, who jumped a perimeter fence, has died. They said the unidentified person was hit two minutes after entering the airport. The person is not believed to be an airport employee.

“We're stopping on the runway,” the pilot tells the control tower according to the site ATC.com. “We just hit somebody. We have an engine fire.”

The pilot tells the air traffic controller they have “231 souls” on board and that an “individual was walking across the runway.”

The air traffic controller responds that they are “rolling the trucks now" before the pilot tells the tower they “have smoke in the aircraft. We are going to evacuate on the runway.”

Frontier Airlines said in a statement flight 4345 was the one involved in the collision and that “smoke was reported in the cabin and the pilots aborted takeoff.” It was not clear whether the smoke was linked to the crash with the pedestrian.

“The Airbus A321 was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members,” the airline said. “We are investigating this incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities.”

Passengers were then evacuated via slides and the emergency crew bused them to the terminal. The airport spokesperson said 12 passengers suffered minor injuries and five were taken to local hospitals.

Denver Airport said the National Transportation Safety Board had been notified and that runway 17L, where the incident took place, will remain closed while an investigation is conducted. It is expected to open later today.

The pedestrian death came a day after a Delta Air Lines employee was killed while on the job at the Orlando International Airport. In a statement, the airline said the employee was killed Thursday night without providing details of the incident nor the name of the employee.

“We are focused on extending our full support to family and taking care of our Orlando team during this difficult time,” the airline said. "We are working with local authorities as a full investigation gets underway to determine what occurred.”

FILE - A Frontier Airlines jetliner taxis down a runway for take off from Denver International airport on Nov. 25, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)