DAVIDE Frattesi fired Inter Milan into the Champions League final on Tuesday with an extra-time winner which gave the Italians a stunning 4-3 triumph over Barcelona, 7-6 on aggregate.
Italy midfielder Frattesi won a tie for the ages under a downpour in Milan when he lashed home in the 99th minute after great play from Marcus Thuram, sending a packed and rocking San Siro wild with joy.
Simone Inzaghi’s team will face either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this month in Munich, where they will feel they have a great chance to be crowned kings of Europe for a fourth time after coming out on top in an epic contest.
Frattesi has become something of a super-sub for Inter and he struck late just as he did in the first leg of his team’s quarter-final win over Bayern Munich.
“It’s just incredible, I don’t know what to say. I thought after the Bayern game I couldn’t ever feel the same emotions, but tonight was even more incredible,“ said Frattesi to Sky Sport.
“This has been my career, really. I wasn’t blessed with incredible talent, but I never give up and always believe and this is the reward for all my effort and dedication.”
Tuesday’s triumph saved Inter’s season as their bid for the treble went up in smoke after getting past Bayern.
Inter conceded top spot in Serie A to Napoli, who are favourites to claim the domestic league title, while AC Milan dumped them out of the Italian Cup.
But Inter ended Barca’s hopes for the quadruple and head into the final weeks of the season buoyant with a second Champions League final in three seasons to look forward to.
“We know that there are two really strong teams in the other semi. But you have to play to win any final,“ said Federico Dimarco.
Barca now have to try to maintain their four-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga on Sunday after missing out on a chance to claim every trophy available this season.
“The truth is we are sad. We wanted to get to the final, we were having a great Champions League campaign,“ said Ronald Araujo to Movistar.
“We were very close and it got away from us.”
