Inter defeats Barcelona and ghosts of the past haunt the Culés

Havana, October 4 (RHC)-- Inter Milan defeated FC Barcelona 1-0 at home today and is closer to the round of 16 in the Champions League. The Italians took an important step towards the next round, while the Spaniards see the ghosts of the last European editions arriving.

Barca visited the San Siro stadium with the intention of dealing a mortal blow to their direct rivals, as both clubs lost to Bayern Munich in a difficult Group C. The start of the match gave the impression that they were capable of doing just that and they dominated the early stages of the game without much difference.

The northern Italians gradually changed the picture and took the goal (Hakan Çalhanoğlu 45+2) and the clearest chances (a possible penalty and a goal disallowed for offside) in the first half.

The Culés came out in the second half to try to even the actions, but Inter seemed to manage the situation until the moment when the equalizer came through Pedri. The short-lived celebration turned into frustration, as the VAR consultation by the referee soured the moment for the team from Barcelona and took the goal off the board due to hands by Ansu Fati in the attack.

The Iberians kept trying in the last minutes of the game and a possible penalty fanned their hopes, but the referee saw it differently and finally the scoreboard would not move and the team from the Lombardy region took a very important victory.

In the other match of the group, undefeated Bayern scored 5-0 against Viktoria Pilsen, with goals from Leroy Sané (7th and 50th minutes), Serge Gnabry (13th), Sadio Mané (21st), Eric Maxim Choupo Moting (59th).

With three matches left in the group stage, the Germans are on a perfect nine points, followed by the Italians with six, the Spaniards with three and the Czechs with no points so far.