Denzel Dumfries, a key player in Internazionale’s Champions League victory over Barcelona, was previously monitored by Everton before his transfer to Italy.
While football fans marveled at an iconic match, Everton supporters may have experienced a sense of longing as Internazionale triumphed over Barcelona 4-3 after extra time to secure their place in the Champions League final. The two teams had previously ended in a 3-3 draw at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium, which has been serving as Barcelona’s temporary home during renovations at Camp Nou. The thrilling encounter at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza equaled the record for the most goals in a Champions League semi-final across two legs at 13, previously set in 2018.
Denzel Dumfries, playing as a right-back, was crucial in Internazionale’s success against the Catalans.
The Dutch international scored two goals in the first leg and assisted Francesco Acerbi’s pivotal equalizer in the dying moments of the second leg, allowing his team to proceed to extra time.
A goal from Lautaro Martinez and a penalty by Hakan Calhanoglu gave Inter a 2-0 lead by halftime, but Barcelona responded with goals from Eric Garcia, Dani Olmo, and Raphinha, threatening to eliminate the hosts.
With time running out, Dumfries seized the moment, stealing the ball from Gerard Martin and delivering a precise low cross to Acerbi, who scored his first European goal at the age of 37.
Had Dumfries chosen Everton during the summer of 2021 instead of signing with Inter for €12.5 million, the dynamics could have been significantly different. Everton was on the lookout for a long-term replacement for Seamus Coleman, and director of football Marcel Brands was keen to recruit Dumfries from his former club, PSV, where he had previously assisted in his transfer.
Despite Brands’ interest, Everton ultimately lost to Inter, as coach Rafael Benitez preferred to invest in Nathan Patterson from Rangers instead, demonstrating a missed opportunity as the talented Dumfries thrived at Inter, contributing significantly to their successes.
