Barcelona 2-1 Inter Milan: 4 Talking Points | UEFA Champions League 2019/20
Barcelona came from behind to clinch an important victory in their UEFA Champions League home tie against Inter Milan. Antonio Conte, who was already furious with his side's inability to beat Slavia Prague in their opening Champions League fixture, will be positively incandescent that his team let Barcelona come from behind to beat Inter.
Lautaro Martinez put Inter Milan a goal ahead within two minutes, making it an uphill task for Barcelona against a defensively sound Conte team. Inter continued to be the dominant force both in attack and defence throughout the first half. The second period, though, saw the Blaugrana gather more steam and an absolute belter of a goal from Luis Suarez to equalise against the visitors.
It would be the Uruguayan who would eventually put them in front after plenty of knocking on the door from his side. His 84th-minute finish setting up an important win for Ernesto Valverde in this difficult group.
It'll give Barcelona an advantage alongside Borussia Dortmund as they're now the two sides at the top of Group F, level on points but with the German side leading on goal difference.
#4 The Early Goal Advantage
Plenty of the pre-game conversation was around the inclusion of Lionel Messi in this starting XI, but it was his Inter Milan counterpart making the early impact as he put his side ahead within two minutes.
Martinez pounced upon a ricochet off Alexis Sanchez covering plenty of ground to catch up with Clement Lenglet and then gaining an inch to guide the ball past Ter Stegen. There are plenty of sides in football who're adept at protecting 1-0 leads and Barcelona were facing one of the best.
Inter proved to be more than just a solid defensive team in the first half and threatened Barcelona's goal on several occasions. The Italians probably had the best chances of the first half all to themselves while the home side were largely restricted to shots from outside the box.