Inter Milan striker Marcus Thuram is set to spearhead the club’s charge against Barcelona in the decisive second leg of their Champions League semi-final, as the Italian champions look to salvage a season that has begun to slip away.
The tie is finely poised following a thrilling 3-3 draw in the first leg in Spain, and Inter return to the San Siro knowing that victory would send them to their second Champions League final in three years — a much-needed lift after a campaign that has threatened to end without silverware.
Thuram was pivotal in the first leg, scoring with a backheel shortly after returning from injury, and he will once again lead the line in Tuesday’s encounter.
While Barcelona had to rely on key players to edge past relegated Real Valladolid at the weekend, Inter were able to rest their entire starting XI in a routine 1-0 win over Verona.
That result kept their Serie A title hopes alive, but with just three league games left and Napoli holding a three-point lead, the Champions League represents Inter’s most realistic shot at a trophy.
This is a significant shift from earlier in the season, when their dramatic quarter-final triumph over Bayern Munich had fans dreaming of a treble, including the league and Italian Cup.
However, Thuram’s injury absence coincided with a steep dip in form — Inter went on a three-game losing streak in domestic competition, failed to score in any of them, lost ground in the title race, and crashed out of the cup against archrivals AC Milan.
Now back and fit, Thuram is expected to lead the line again, alongside Lautaro Martinez if the Argentine striker proves fit. The pair have scored 39 goals between them across 92 appearances, highlighting their importance in a squad that lacks depth in attacking positions.
In contrast, backup forwards Marko Arnautovic, Mehdi Taremi, and Joaquin Correa have combined for just 10 goals in roughly 35 appearances, most of them off the bench. Arnautovic alone accounts for seven of those strikes.
Martinez is a major doubt for Tuesday after picking up a hamstring injury in the first leg. He is training individually and pushing to make the bench, while fellow absentee Benjamin Pavard, who scored the winner against Bayern, returned to training on Sunday following an ankle problem.
“We’ll probably have to decide about both of them in the warm-up,” said assistant coach Massimiliano Farris. “Lautaro is trying to achieve the impossible, and Pavard has worked hard to be available.”
Inter will also be hoping Barcelona are forced to manage without Robert Lewandowski again, as the Polish striker missed the first leg. However, he has rejoined training, increasing the likelihood of involvement.
Barca still have defensive concerns, with Jules Koundé and Alejandro Balde ruled out. Coach Hansi Flick may also regret having to use key players like Lamine Yamal and Raphinha in the weekend’s win, just days before this pivotal clash.
As the stakes rise, Thuram’s leadership and firepower could prove crucial in determining whether Inter’s season ends in triumph or disappointment.
