A “goal-scoring machine.” This season’s Barcelona are tearing apart defenses in half of Europe. Their spectacular attack, made up of young star Lamine Yamal, the irresistible veteran Robert Lewandowski, and Raphinha in Ballon d’Or form, is just one of the dangers Hansi Flick’s team poses.
In fact, it's not just the feelings that speak for the Catalans, but also the numbers. Barça is the team that has scored the most in the Champions League, a full 37 goals in 12 matches, with an average of over 3 goals per match. A crazy pace that the Catalans have also maintained in La Liga: 81 goals in 31 matches, the best attack among the 5 strongest European championships.
However, there is one point that gives Inter hope: if Barça scores a lot, they concede just as many, especially in away matches, in Europe. Analyzing Barcelona's performance on the road, in the Champions League, a very interesting statistic stands out: in 5 out of 6 away matches, the Catalans have conceded at least 2 goals.
The only exception is the first leg of the round of 16 against Benfica, where Barcelona did not concede. But even that match can be considered a special case: the two teams had met a few weeks earlier in the group stage, in a spectacular match that ended 4-5 in favor of Barcelona.
In total, Barcelona have conceded 13 goals in 6 matches, which translates to an average of over 2 goals per match. There is also a precedent that serves Inter to believe: Barça–Atalanta at “Montjuïc”. The Bergamasque did not give up in the face of the Catalans' attacking force and got a 2-2 draw, with more regret for Gasperini than for Flick.
With this in mind, and relying on an elite defensive phase, Inter could try a cautious strategy in the first leg at Montjuïc, to limit the damage and then put everything on the line in the return leg at a fiery San Siro. Barcelona are scary, but also punishable. Inter, with the cynicism and experience of recent years, know how to play at this level.