Barcelona Vs Inter Milan, The Charm of Denzel Dumfries' Luxury

BARCELONA, THURSDAY — Barcelona twice came back from the brink in a 3-3 draw against Inter Milan in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinal. However, this does not diminish the fact that Barca is somewhat disadvantaged considering that the second leg will take place at Inter's home ground. Coach Simone Inzaghi should be grateful to right-back Denzel Dumfries, who became the hero of the team.

Inzaghi is fortunate to have a complete wing-back like Dumfries. The Dutch national player is solid in defense but sharp when supporting the attack. Dumfries orchestrated the opening goal for Inter, scored by Marcus Thuram just 30 seconds into the match. This goal also marked Thuram as the fastest goal scorer in the history of the Champions League semifinals.

Not only skilled at creating assists, Dumfries also played a role in doubling Inter's advantage in the 21st minute. Starting from a corner kick execution, Dumfries took advantage of the chaos in the Barca penalty area with his large physique. From close range, Dumfries unleashed a bicycle kick that could not be stopped by Inter's goalkeeper, Yan Sommer.

"That was a great corner kick from (Federico) Dimarco. We won the duel and I was in the right place. The first goal was an extraordinary quality from Marcus, an incredible touch," said Dumfries.

Scoring two goals in the first half feels like a rare occurrence for Inter. The "Nerazzurri" are currently on a poor trend after suffering three consecutive defeats ahead of their visit to Barcelona. The absence of Thuram and Dumfries significantly affects Inter's goal productivity. Without their full presence, Inter finds it difficult to secure victories.

Dumfries has proven that his presence in the team is indeed irreplaceable. After Inter's two goals were equalized by Barcelona through a curling shot from Lamine Yamal and a tap-in from Ferran Torres, Dumfries once again put his team ahead. Inter's third goal once again originated from their skill in optimizing corner kicks. Dumfries jumped high, surpassing the reach of the Barcelona defender.

"They are very strong in corner kick situations. The most important thing for us is that we have found results that make us know that anything can happen (in the second meeting) in Milan," said Barca midfielder, Raphinha.

As if not wanting to be outdone in utilizing corner kicks, Raphinha also did the same to bring Barca level. The corner kick executed by Dani Olmo was directed straight by Raphinha, who stood outside the penalty area. His shot curved, then hit the post and struck Sommer's back. The goal was ultimately ruled not as Raphinha's but as an own goal by Sommer.

Thanks to his contribution of one assist and two goals, Dumfries was named the best player in this match. This award is well-deserved considering Dumfries' determination throughout the game. He was very disciplined in returning to defense when Inter lost possession of the ball.

In addition to being skilled at assisting in attacks, Dumfries does not neglect his responsibilities while defending. He could have even provided a second assist and led Inter to victory had Henrikh Mkhitaryan's goal not been disallowed by the referee due to offside.

Not many world-class wing-backs possess the capabilities of Dumfries. Even Liverpool's right-back, Trent Alexander-Arnold, is often criticized for being too focused on attacking, neglecting his defensive duties. Such abilities are a luxury that Dumfries possesses, and Inzaghi is very fortunate to have him.

Although they failed to win due to Barcelona's two comebacks, Inter is in a slightly more favorable position for the second meeting. This season, Inter has not lost any match when hosting their opponents at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium.

However, Inzaghi must think of a way to stop Yamal's creativity. The right-wing player from Barca has become the key to breaking down Inter's tight defense. Under Inzaghi, Inter is known as a team that tends to defend quite deeply. This makes it difficult for opposing teams to penetrate. Yamal is an exception to Inter's solid defensive system. Even when shadowed and pressured in any way, he always finds a way to escape.

"We must take better care of Lamine Yamal. That player truly made an impact on me tonight. He really did. So we want to play and press higher on the field," said Inzaghi.

Meanwhile, Barca's coach, Hansi Flick, regrets his team's slow start, which allowed Inter to score two goals in the first half. Flick has already considered several notes in anticipation of the second meeting in Milan. One of them is to anticipate Inter's skill in exploiting corner kicks.

"We did not start the match well, conceding two goals. However, we rallied and played very well in the second half. This is good for the fans. This is the first meeting between the two, and we must win in Milan. This is a final before the final," said Flick. (REUTERS)