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Inter Milan 1-2 Barcelona: Ansu Fati makes Champions League history as Antonio Conte & Co. are knocked out

REUTERS
REUTERS

Ansu Fati became the youngest scorer in Champions League history as a baby Barcelona side beat Inter Milan 2-1 at San Siro and knocked Antonio Conte’s men out of the competition on Tuesday night.

With Barca already qualified for the knockout stages and confirmed as group winners, coach Ernesto Valverde left Lionel Messi behind in Barcelona, along with Gerard Pique and Sergi Roberto.

Valverde picked a number of youngsters in his side, including Jean-Clair Todibo, Moussa Wague and Carles Alena, while Neto came in for his competitive debut in goal.

Inter needed to match Borussia Dortmund’s result to advance to the last 16, with the Germans in action at home to Slavia Prague in the other Group F match.

And after some early pressure, Romelu Lukaku saw a goal ruled out for offside after seven minutes as he and Lautaro Martinez caused problems for Barca’s three-man back line in the opening exchanges.

(AFP via Getty Images)
(AFP via Getty Images)

But Carles Perez, on his Champions League debut, fired the Catalans in front after 27 minutes.

Antoine Griezmann fizzed a pass into the box looking for Arturo Vidal, but Diego Godin’s touch inadvertently played the ball into the path of Perez, who was left with a simple finish.

Lukaku levelled a minute before there break to get Inter back in it after Martinez held off Todibo and left the Belgian with an easy finish.

With the scores also 1-1 in Germany, Inter were through at that point, but BVB scored again and the Italians went in search of a second-half winner at San Siro.

(AP)
(AP)

Twice they thought they had it, Lautaro chesting the ball down brilliantly and volleying past Neto, only to see his effort cancelled out for a marginal offside.

And Lukaku, after firing straight at Neto from close range moments earlier, was also denied by the assistant’s flag as he netted from close range late in the game.

With the game then seemingly heading for a draw, substitute Fati - aged just 17 years and 40 days - ran forward, played a one-two with Luis Suarez and hit a low shot past Samir Handanovic and just inside the post to secure a 2-1 win for Barca right at the end.

Dortmund won the other game 2-1, so Inter would have had to win and the defeat sees Conte’s side drop to the Europa League as BVB advance to the last 16 along with Barca, still unbeaten in this competition in 2019-20.