Inter Milan snagged Barcelona's seemingly inevitable run to another Champions League crown with a resounding 3-1 win over the titleholder in the semifinal first leg Tuesday. Pedro Rodriguez gave Barcelona the lead in the 19th minute, but Wesley Sneijder equalized before the break. Once Maicon gave Inter the lead early in the second period the host was able to dominate, and Diego Milito deservedly added a third with a header midway through the second half. As the match continued Barcelona appeared fatigued, perhaps feeling the effects of the 725km coach trip the team was forced to take after flights were grounded across Europe following the volcanic eruption in Iceland. Inter might have to make the same arrangement for the return leg Wednesday next week. To add to its problems, Barcelona captain Carles Puyol will miss the return leg after being booked for a foul on Milito. After a slow start Inter had the first chance of the game. Samuel Eto'o forced Victor Valdes into a low save with a shot from outside the area. Milito was first to the rebound, but pushed his effort across the face of the goal from a tight angle. Barcelona opened the scoring with relative ease. Maxwell beat a weak challenge from Esteban Cambiasso down the left flank, cut the ball back to Pedro and the winger shot low into the net from the penalty spot. Milito missed another chance in the 27th. Goran Pandev flicked the ball past Puyol to Milito, but he shot wide of Valdes' far post from close in. Inter equalized in the 30th. Eto'o picked out Milito in the area, Barcelona's defense tried to crowd him out, but he was able to pick out Sneijder to shoot past Valdes. Jose Mourinho's side took the lead early in the second half with a flowing move that caught Barcelona's defense on the break. Pandev found Milito onside behind Barcelona's defense, he broke into the box and touched it into the path of the overlapping Maicon to score from close range. Messi had his first shot of the match in the 53rd, forcing Cesar into a sharp save with a shot from the edge of the box. A minute later Cesar needed to be quick again to stop Sergio Busquets' close-range header from Xavi Hernandez's corner before Cambiasso eventually cleared the danger. Milito finally scored in the 61st. Eto'o broke down the right wing and hit a cross to Sneijder at the back post. He nodded the ball back across the goal for Milito's header from close range. It meant Inter was able to exploit space on the flanks or between the defense and midfield to stop Barcelona from playing its usual pressing game and keep the midfield on the back foot. Cesar kept out another effort from Messi in the 79th when he dived low to push away his free kick, and Thiago Motta kept out Gerard Pique in the closing minutes. Liverpool focused Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez insists his team will be fully-prepared for its Europa League semifinal first leg at Atletico Madrid despite facing disruption over its travel. UEFA confirmed Friday that the game will go ahead even though clubs' travel plans have been wrecked by the cloud of volcanic ash over Iceland. The Reds were due to get a train to London Tuesday with the prospect of either flying on to Spain or taking a further train as far as Bordeaux and flying from there. Benitez was annoyed at having to play against West Ham Monday night, which the Reds won 3-0, but is adamant that his players will be ready to take on Atletico. He said: “There are not too many options but it could have been called off but also I don't like Mondays so to play on Mondays is not the best option for us but we have to manage now. “It's well organized so we'll have some time and we have to be there early but we can do it. The people are working behind the scenes preparing everything and they are doing a good job.”
