Barcelona qualified for the knockout stage of the Champions League on Tuesday after a compelling 1-1 draw away to Inter Milan as a late leveller from Mauro Icardi ended the Catalans’ perfect record in this season’s competition.
Former Barca youth player Icardi swivelled to smash the ball into the net in the 87th minute not long after Brazilian Malcom appeared to have snatched a late winner for Barca by scoring his first goal for the club moments after coming off the bench.
⏰ All over in the San Siro!
⚽ Inter 1-1 FC Barcelona
? Icardi / Malcom
?? #InterBarça pic.twitter.com/mKYjdKyFSj— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 6, 2018
Barca were still without talismanic figure Lionel Messi through injury but were the better side for most of a game that was high on intensity but lacking in quality until an electrifying final 10 minutes at a rocking San Siro.
Barca top Group B with 10 points after four games; Inter are second with seven, while Tottenham Hotspur are third on four and PSV Eindhoven bottom, and out of the competition, with one.
Barca were famously beaten 3-1 by Jose Mourinho Inter in the semi-finals in 2010 and had not won on any of their previous six visits to Italy.
But they coped well with the home side initial high pressing, thanks to the composed passing of midfielder Arthur Melo, and soon began to dominate.
Luis Suarez nearly scored what would have been a marvellous goal after controlling a high ball with his chest but sent his attempted chip inches wide of the top corner of the goal.
Fair Play ?@Ivanrakitic & Perisic ?? pic.twitter.com/PqI7EvqwU4
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 7, 2018
Ivan Rakitic had also come close to finding the opener in the first period and missed a glaring chance after the interval when he had only goalkeeper Samir Handanovic to beat but fired straight at the body of the Slovenian.
Brazilian Malcom had featured little for Barca since signing from Bordeaux in the summer but thrust himself into the limelight less than two minutes after replacing the ineffective Ousmane Dembele, controlling a pass from Philippe Coutinho and drilling the ball under the diving Handanovic.
Barca were on their way to a first win in Italy since beating AC Milan at the San Siro in November 2011, which would also have seen them seal top spot in the group, but the ruthless Icardi had the final say against the club that let him go as a teenager.
Barca could still celebrate qualifying for the knockout stage for a 15th consecutive season, however, and they will clinch top spot if they win away to PSV Eindhoven in their next European fixture.
✅ Job done!
? Through to the last 16 of the @ChampionsLeague!#InterBarça pic.twitter.com/lGimK4pM9e— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 6, 2018
