Inter Milan vs. Barcelona result, highlights & analysis as Calhanoglu secures crucial Champions League win

Inter Milan secured a timely Champions League win at the San Siro as Hakan Calhanoglu's fine strike eased the hosts over the line to a 1-0 win against Group C rivals Barcelona.

Both sides created chances in a busy opening in Milan, with Joaquin Correa seeing a penalty call rejected by VAR, before Calhanoglu stepped up to power the home side in front just before the interval.

Barcelona did look to react after the restart, with Ousmane Dembele posing a constant threat on the counter attack, and Pedri's equaliser chalked off by VAR.

However, it is Inter who gain a crucial advantage in the group, as they look to overpower Barcelona, in the race for second place, behind Bayern Munich.

MORE: Lionel Messi return to Barcelona? Explaining when and how he could rejoin ex-club after PSG spell

Gritty Inter dig in for Inzaghi

Inzaghi came into the game under real pressure, after picking up just eight points in Serie A this season, and three in the Champions League.

Reports from Italy have questioned his long term future at the San Siro but his players produced a battling performance for their manager.

Next week's trip to the Camp Nou is likely to decide second place in Group C and Inter travel to Catalonia with a key advantage.

Calhanoglu's superb winner will grab the headlines on the night, but Andre Onana's crucial stops, and the defensive marshalling of Milan Skriniar, kept Barcelona at bay, to give the former Italian international some breathing space.

Lewandowski's off-night blunts Barcelona

Robert Lewandowski has been sensational in his first few months as a Barcelona player with 12 goals across all competitions ahead of this tie.

His excellent goal secured a 1-0 win at Mallorca last weekend but he struggled to get into the flow of the contest against a well drilled Inter back line.

Skriniar did brilliantly to restrict him in their one-on-one battles with Dembele providing the visitors main outlet.

Xavi stuck with him in the closing stages, but he was unable to steer home a late chance, from Dembele's set piece, on a rare blank for the Polish international.

Inter Milan vs. Barcelona final score

	1H	2H	Final
Inter Milan	1	0	1
Barcelona	0	0	0

Goals: Calhanoglu 45+1 Min INT

Inter Milan vs. Barcelona live updates and highlights: As it happened

Full Time #InterBarça pic.twitter.com/z0PA50u2Bp

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 4, 2022

FULL TIME: INTER MILAN 1 BARCELONA 0

It's all over in Milan as the home side edge over the line to secure a vital Champions League win at the San Siro.

Calhanoglu's wonder goal just before the interval proved the difference between the two sides as a frustrated Barcelona saw Pedri's equaliser ruled out by VAR.

90+6 Mins: Dembele's whipped ball is just past the run of Lewandowski

90+3 MINS: VAR CHECK FOR BARCELONA PENALTY!!!

Pedri's cross is knocked down by Sergi Roberto and Barcelona want a penalty against Dumfries...........VAR SAYS NO!!

EIGHT MINUTES ADDED ON AT THE SAN SIRO!!!!

90 Mins: Bastoni booked for a foul on Kessie and Lewandowski heads Dembele's free kick just wide.

88 Mins: Inter looking to run the clock down as Calhanoglu comes off to a standing ovation with Kristjan Asllani on as his replacement.

85 Mins: Inzaghi is now booked for some cheeky time wasting as Franck Kessie comes on Gavi.

80 Mins: Can Barcelona find a late equaliser?

75 Mins: The game has become fractured ahead of the final 15 minutes as Martinez picks up a booking for grappling with Gavi.

Changes for Inzaghi as Denzel Dumfries and Francesco Acerbi come on for Federico Dimarco and de Vrij with Robin Gosens on for Matteo Darmian.

68 Mins: RULED OUT!!!!

VAR signals a handball against Fati in the build up and the goal is ruled out!!!

Xavi gets a yellow card for his furious reaction as does Calhanoglu for a foul.

66 MINS: PEDRIIIIIIIIIIIIII FOR BARCA!!!

Pedri slots home an equaliser for Barcelona as Onana misses Dembele's cross............but there will be another VAR check!!!

62 Mins: OFF THE POST!!!!

A HUGE CHANCE FOR BARCA!!!

Dembele speeds in behind the Inter defence and Onana gets the faintest of touches to tip his effort on to the post!!!!

Double sub from Xavi - Ansu Fati and Alex Balde on with Alonso and Raphinha off.

60 Mins: Busquets picks up Barcelona's first booking of the night as he cynically brings down Lautaro Martinez.

58 Mins: First changes of the night as Edin Dzeko comes on for Correa and Christensen frustrating injury forces him off for Gerard Pique.

50 Mins: Barella needs to be careful as he gets a final warning after a foul on Pedri

46 Mins: WE ARE BACK!!

No changes at the break for either side

HT: INTER MILAN 1 BARCELONA 0

FROM NOWHERE INTER TAKE THE LEAD ON THE STROKE OF HALF TIME!!!

Inter had slipped back into defensive mode ahead of the half time whistle but Calhanoglu has produced a moment of brilliance for the home side!!!

His long ranger was dealt with by Ter Stegen earlier in the game, but from slightly closer in this time, he bullets one past the German stopper...........and the San Siro EXPLODES!!!

*Video available in the UK

Lift off for Inter Milan at the San Siro! ????

Hakan Çalhanoğlu hits it hard and low to give his side the lead against Barcelona.

A gorgeous strike from the Turkish midfielder ????#UCL pic.twitter.com/F0ID7bBOTS

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) October 4, 2022

*Video available in the US

HAKAN ÇALHANOGLU HIT THAT

Inter strike first against Barcelona right before half-time. ???? pic.twitter.com/SOfNt8WSqZ

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) October 4, 2022

45 Mins: Three minutes added on

43 Mins: Barcelona are ending the half strongly as Dembele blasts one just wide!!

36 Mins: Barcelona have done well to weather that Inter burst of pressure as Ousmane Dembele wins a corner for the visitors.

Just a quick reminder from the early game in Group C - Bayern Munich hammered Viktoria Plzen 5-0 at the Allianz Arena!!

*Video available in the UK

It didn't take them long... ????

Leroy Sané makes it 3⃣ goals in 3⃣ games so far this #UCL campaign with this absolute screamer! pic.twitter.com/L4qLHN26Ce

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) October 4, 2022

*Video available in the US

MANÉ TO SANÉ ????

The pass, touch and finish were just ???? pic.twitter.com/8ZeRps69Nc

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) October 4, 2022

30 Mins: Correa at the heart of the action AGAIN for Inter as he races clear and slots past Ter Stegen but the flag is up for another offside.

27 Mins: NO PENALTY

Slavko Vincic has been over to the VAR monitor and he has stuck with original call of NO PENALTY!!

VAR indicated an offside in the build up against Correa........Nicolo Barella is booked for his protests to the referee.

26 Mins: VAR CHECK INCOMING.......

Inter are adamant Joaquin Correa's shot struck Eric Garcia on the arm..........

24 Mins: Lewandowski is causing real problems for Inter in his battles with Skriniar and Alessandro Bastoni but the hosts back line are holding firm so far.

17 Mins: Another little flurry of Barcelona pressure as Marcos Alonso cannot get the right connection on Raphinha's chipped cross. 

Robert Lewanowski then forces a corner from a busy Skriniar......and another......but Raphinha's corner is headed tamely at goal by Andreas Christensen and Onana gathers in.

9 Mins: CHANCE FOR INTER!!

Hakan Calhanoglu spies a loose ball rolling towards him, and the Turkish international tries his luck from 35 yards, but Marc Ter Stegen watches it all the way and tips over for an Inter corner

7 Mins: A positive start from Barcelona in Milan, as Ousmane Dembele forces an early corner, and Raphinha's strike is blocked away by Milan Skriniar. 

KICK OFF: WE ARE UNDERWAY IN MILAN!!!

A poignant message following tragedy in Indonesia in which 125 football fans died

pic.twitter.com/fht6UAGBzN

— Inter (@Inter) October 4, 2022

10 Mins to KO: ALL SET AT THE SAN SIRO!!

Let's go, boys! ????????#ForzaInter #UCL #InterBarça pic.twitter.com/NI6VCUrrb5

— Inter (@Inter_en) October 4, 2022

45 Mins to KO: Xavi and Inzaghi gear up for a HUGE night in Milan

Barcelona head coach Xavi is under no illusions of the challenge posed by Inter.

"Inter is still a very strong team. They have a different system to anything we’ve come across this season and two strikers is not something you see much in Spain. 

"They’re a tough opponent. We’ve already lost to Bayern. We have to match the performance we showed in Munich, but with a win.

“It looks like it’s going to be a battle between us, as we both lost to Bayern, so we can’t fail now.”

Inzaghi is under pressure ahead of tonight's game, with 12 points from eight Serie A games in 2022/23, and his position will weaken if Inter lose.

"Barcelona are very strong and complete. One of the three teams that plays the best football in Europe, we know the importance of the game. We’re Inter and we’ll try to play with all our strengths but it could be a game of suffering.

"They are aggressive, with incredible ball recovery players, they know how to do everything, in and out, of possession, and they have now added Lewandowski, who is a great player."

55 Mins to KO: INZAGHI RINGS THE CHANGES

Inter boss Inzaghi mirrors Xavi with five starting changes from their own league outings last weekend with Andre Onana in for Samir Handanovic in goal.

Dutch international Stefan de Vrij replaces Francesco Acerbi in defence with Matteo Darmian and Henrikh Mkhitaryan drafted into a reshuffled midfield.

Joaquin Correa starts in place of Edin Dzeko, with the Bosnian international only fit enough for a place on the bench.

Tonight's starting XI ????#ForzaInter #UCL #InterBarça pic.twitter.com/S6uznuDnfk

— Inter (@Inter_en) October 4, 2022

1 Hr to KO: TEAM NEWS IS IN!!!

Five changes for Barcelona following their 1-0 La Liga weekend win over Mallorca as Xavi freshens things up in Milan.

Three swaps in defence, as Marcos Alonso, Eric Garcia and Sergi Roberto come in for Jordi Alba, Gerard Pique and Alex Balde.

Spanish international Pedri replaces Franck Kessie in midfield with Raphinha preferred to Ansu Fati in attack.

???? Barça XI ????#InterBarça | @ChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/4u7hKSW7j9

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 4, 2022

90 mins to KO: Hello, and welcome to The Sporting News' live coverage of tonight's clash between Inter Milan vs. Barcelona. It's two European giants, it's one iconic stadium and it's the Champions League! Settle in, we'll be bringing you team news shortly.

The stage is set.#InterBarça | @ChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/8TcFGi7UGG

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 4, 2022

Inter Milan vs. Barcelona lineups

Inzaghi is without Romelu Lukaku, due to an ongoing thigh injury for the Belgian international, with Marcelo Brozovic and Alex Cordaz also out.

Inter Milan lineup (3-5-2): Onana (GK) — Bastoni, de Vrij, Skriniar — Dimarco, Calhanoglu, Barella, Mkhitaryan, Darmian — Correa, Martinez

Inter Milan subs (12): Handanovic (GK), Dumfries, Acerbi, Gagliardini, Gosens Bellanova, Dzeko, Asllani, D'Ambrosio,  Botis (GK), Zanotti, Carboni

Xavi's injury list continues to grow - following the international break - with Ronald Araujo sidelined until after the World Cup, and Hector Bellerin, Frenkie de Jong, Memphis Depay and Jules Kounde still in recovery.

Barcelona lineup (4-3-3): Ter Stegen (GK) — Alonso, Christensen, Garcia, Roberto — Gavi, Busquets, Pedri — Raphinha, Lewandowski, Dembele

Barcelona subs (10): Pena (GK), Tenas (GK), Balde, Alba, Pique, Kessie, Fati, Casado, Torres, Torre

MORE: When is Barcelona vs. Real Madrid? El Clasico dates set for 2022/23 La Liga season

What time is Inter Milan vs. Barcelona?

Inter Milan play host to Barcelona at the San Siro in Milan, Italy. It kicks off at 8 p.m. BST on Tues, October 4.

	UK	USA	Canada	Australia
Date	Tues, Oct 4	Tues, Oct 4	Tues, Oct 4	Weds, Oct 5
Time	20:00 BST	15:00 ET	15:00 ET	06:00 AET

How to watch Inter Milan vs. Barcelona

	UK	USA	Canada	Australia
TV channel	BT Sport 4	Univision, TUDN	—	—
Streaming	BT Sport website/app	fuboTV, Paramount+, VIX+	DAZN	Stan Sport

UK: Matches are carried across BT Sport streaming and TV platforms.

USA: Inter Milan vs. Barcelona will be broadcast on Univision and TUDN, which are streamed on fuboTV. Paramount+ and VIX+ will also stream for subscribers.

Canada: Champions League matches are streamed in Canada via DAZN.

Australia: Every Champions League match is streamed in Australia via Stan Sport.