History never stands still. It holds wounds and triumphs in equal measure, and Inter Milan know exactly how it feels. As they prepare to return to Spanish soil, the ghosts of the past slowly rise.
On Thursday, May 1, 2025, the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys will be the stage for the first leg of the Champions League semifinals. The opponent is no joke: Barcelona, a club that has made Inter taste the bitterness of failure more than once.
However, this is not just a fight between two great teams. This is Inter’s fight against history—and their history in Spanish soil is full of bitter stories.
Speaking of records, Inter have a pretty dark record when meeting Spanish clubs. Out of 54 matches, they have only won 16 times, drawn 14, and lost 24 times.
Specifically for away matches, the statistics are even bleaker: only three wins from 25 visits. The rest, four draws and 18 defeats.
From those numbers alone, it’s clear that Inter have never been truly comfortable in Iberia.
Inter’s last game against a Spanish side was a nightmare. Despite leading 2-0 on aggregate through a Federico Dimarco goal, they were eventually knocked out by Atletico Madrid.
A 2-1 defeat in the second leg last season took the tie to penalties. There, Inter failed again, losing 3-2 and being eliminated in the last 16.
It was part of a dismal run, with just three wins in their last 18 games against La Liga opponents.
The match against Sevilla in the 2020 Europa League final was another reminder. Inter lost 3-2 in Cologne despite playing aggressively.
That result extended their poor record in important games against Spanish teams. Even the win over Atletico in the first leg last season felt like a mere interlude.
Winning at home is often a mirage—because when you play in Spain, everything changes.
However, not all stories from the past are somber. In the semifinals, Inter actually have sweet memories.
They defeated AC Milan in the 2022/23 season with a 3-0 aggregate. In the 2009/10 treble season, they even silenced Barcelona with a 3-2 aggregate in the last four.
Of the nine participations in the semifinals of this competition, Inter won six times and lost three times.
This season, Inter have performed convincingly since the league phase. They won six times, drew once, and only lost once.
In the knockout stages, they eliminated Feyenoord and Bayern Munich in a fairly convincing manner. Including an important 2-1 victory at the Allianz Arena.
That record provides a little light—Inter have won ten of their last 19 away games in the Champions League.
The match in Barcelona is not just a semifinal. This is an inner duel, between clubs that want to tear up the history books and write a new page.
Simone Inzaghi knows that Inter can no longer live in the shadow of Spanish trauma. They must create a victory that silences the past.
If successful, the night at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys could be a turning point. Not just for this season, but for Inter’s long history at a ground that has always hurt them.
