Lautaro helps Inter to 2-0 lead over Barcelona at halftime of Champions League semifinal
MILAN (AP) — Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martínez returned from injury to help give his team a 2-0 halftime lead against Barcelona in the second leg of their Champions League semifinal on Tuesday.
Lautaro scored and earned a penalty to put Inter up at the break. The Italian team leads 5-3 on aggregate after the rollercoaster first leg last week.
Inter took the lead in the 22nd minute. Federico Dimarco stole the ball from Barcelona defender Dani Olmo in the final third and immediately threaded it through for Denzel Dumfries, who generously rolled it across for an unmarked Lautaro to sweep home.
It was a third assist in the semifinal for Dumfries after the Netherlands international also set up two and scored the other in last week’s 3-3 draw.
Lautaro has 22 goals and six assists for Inter across all competitions this campaign, including eight in the Champions League.
The Argentina World Cup winner earned a penalty on the stroke of halftime when he was fouled by Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsí. The referee initially waved play on before being told by the VAR to review the incident and changing his mind.
Hakan Çalhanoğlu drilled the spot kick into the bottom left corner.
Inter’s defense has mainly managed to keep Lamine Yamal quiet, with the talented teenager restricted to two dangerous runs — one which was ended by a perfectly-timed Alessandro Bastoni tackle shortly before the hosts’ second.
Inter is bidding to reach a second Champions League final in three seasons. It lost to Manchester City in 2023.
The winner will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal in Munich on May 31. PSG beat Arsenal 1-0 in London last week in their first match.
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By DANIELLA MATAR
AP Sports Writer
