Denzel Dumfries has won praise for punishing the Barcelona defensive line for Inter Milan in yesterday’s Champions League clash.

As TuttoMercatoWeb highlight, the Dutchman showed just how vital he can be as an outlet on the counterattack down Inter’s right flank.

Denzel Dumfries was back in the Inter Milan starting eleven against Barcelona yesterday.

And the Champions League semifinal first leg proved to be the perfect match for him.

Barcelona played very high up the pitch. They pressed aggressively to pen Inter into their own half.

And this entailed playing with a very high defensive line, as they aimed to keep Inter’s strikers offside when the Nerazzurri won the ball back.

That meant that Inter’s most effective weapon at getting in behind the Barcelona defensive line was always likely to be a runner from deeper areas.

Denzel Dumfries Praised For Shredding Barcelona High Line For Inter Milan

Denzel Dumfries scoring against Barcelona
BARCELONA, SPAIN – APRIL 30: Denzel Dumfries of FC Internazionale scores his team’s second goal whilst under pressure from Pedri and Frenkie de Jong of FC Barcelona during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Semi Final First Leg match between FC Barcelona and FC Internazionale Milano at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on April 30, 2025 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

And Denzel Dumfries was just the player Inter needed to get in behind Barcelona.

The Dutchman’s energy and athleticism meant that he was able to burst past the likes of Raphinha and Gerard Martin time and time again.

Then in the second half, it was Inigo Martinez protecting Barcelona’s left flank. And once again, Dumfries was highly effective in getting the wrong side of the former Athletic Club defender.

The former PSV wingback consistently timed his runs perfectly. There were also several instances in which he came central and was threatening to run through on ball, but teammates weren’t able to find him.

This kind of influence showed Inter exactly what they’d been missing while he was out.

Then, it was Dumfries who scored two set piece goals. He showed what a big influence he can be in the penalty area in such moments.

In particular, Dumfries scored a spectacular overhead kick for Inter’s second goal.