How do you even begin to describe a 90 minutes like the one which was witnessed at the Estadio Lluis Companys on Wednesday night?!

Let’s start by saying what a fantastic football match it was for the neutral. High octane and at times high quality football from both sides worthy of the premier European competition.

Rarely can a football match have been so enjoyable.

However, from Hansi Flick and Barcelona’s point of view, even if it was a sublime display of attacking football at times, it was also a chaotic mess at others.

Ultimately, the first-team head coach has to be disappointed with the manner in which his team were routinely beaten by simple crosses into the box. Crosses which appeared to cause panic each and every time Inter got forward.

Of course the Catalans can point to having the vast majority of possession, and the character shown to get back into the game on two separate occasions – but particularly from 0-2 down – is certainly noteworthy.

And yet, to allow a team that is known for its defensive rather than attacking prowess to score three fairly routine goals is unforgivable.

Let’s not forget either that Inter were also woefully out of form, losing their last two league games and only winning two of the last nine in all competitions.

At times, however, they looked far and away the better side.

The one saving grace is that there’s still something to play for heading into the second leg in Milan, though Barca will need to offer a performance of real quality in all areas of the pitch if they want to get past a stubborn Inter side.

In some respects, knowing that they have to go and get a result could be the spur that the team need to bring it all together in the second leg.

Losing to Roma and Liverpool in previous Champions League ties despite having a healthy lead going into the second leg can almost certainly be attributed to complacency.

There’ll be none of that in Milan.

If Lamine Yamal and Raphinha can again show their best face in the return, the Blaugranes have more than half a chance, though they must be much more solid as a back four both in defending high balls into the box and working the ‘high risk, high reward’ high line that Flick insists on playing.

Yes, we all would’ve taken the draw when down by two, but Barca are much, much better than that.

Now they have to go out and prove it in what’s likely to be their toughest assignment of the season so far.