Real Madrid fans experienced a night of happiness and football schadenfreude after their eternal rivals, Barcelona, were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League semi-finals by the Italian giants Inter Milan, in a thrilling match that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the very last moments. The game stretched out to become one of the most exciting encounters of this season’s prestigious European competition.

Inter Milan secured their place in the final with a dramatic 4-3 victory over Barcelona in the second leg, held at the "Giuseppe Meazza" stadium, completing the tie with a 7-6 aggregate score, following their 3-3 draw in the first leg at "Luis Companys Olympic Stadium" last week.

This elimination sparked wild celebrations among Real Madrid fans, who seized the opportunity to express their satisfaction and even gloating over their traditional rival's fall at such a crucial stage of the tournament, especially just days before the highly anticipated El Clásico in La Liga. The timing of this event added a psychological layer to the occasion.

In a notable gesture, Spanish TV show "El Chiringuito" broadcasted footage from Real Madrid’s training center this Wednesday morning, where a banner reading "Thank you, Inter!" was displayed — a clear message from within the Madrid camp, reflecting the fans’ feelings towards what they saw as an indirect gift from the Italian team.

The second-leg match saw standout performances from the Inter Milan players, who played with impressive team spirit and capitalized on Barcelona’s defensive mistakes. Lautaro Martínez opened the scoring following a one-on-one assist from Marcus Thuram, and Çalhanoğlu scored the second from a penalty just before halftime.

Despite Barcelona's attempts to fight back, with goals from Eric Garcia, Dani Olmo, and Raphinha, they failed to maintain the draw, as Francesco Acerbi scored a late goal in stoppage time to put Inter ahead. In extra time, Inter sealed Barcelona’s fate with a fifth goal, eliminating them from the competition.

Inter's victory sends them to the Champions League final, where they will face the winner of Paris Saint-Germain vs. Arsenal, a match set to take place later this evening. The final will be held on May 31 at the "Allianz Arena" in Munich, Germany, in a highly anticipated football night that fans are eagerly waiting for.

While Inter is already focusing on preparing for the final, Real Madrid supporters celebrated their eternal rival’s downfall, continuing a tradition in European Clásico rivalries where competition transcends points to include psychological and historical dimensions.

This early exit has raised many questions about the maturity of Barcelona’s European project, especially given their inconsistent performance throughout the tournament and their lack of character at critical moments — qualities that have long been a hallmark of Real Madrid, the most successful club in Champions League history.

The match showcased the mental and organizational gap between the two teams, with Inter appearing more cohesive and clinical in front of goal, while Barcelona’s defense was frail and unable to keep pace with the higher tempo of the Italian team, especially in the crucial moments of the match.

The Madrid celebrations were not limited to the fans but also extended, indirectly, to some of the media outlets linked to the club, who humorously reported on Barcelona’s failure to reach the final despite being ahead at critical stages, which some considered a confirmation of the crisis of confidence currently plaguing the Catalan club on the European stage.

Analysts suggested that Barcelona’s early elimination would cast a shadow over the upcoming Clásico, with the Catalan side heading into the match under considerable pressure, both mentally and media-wise. Meanwhile, Real Madrid enters the match buoyed by the news, motivated to add another blow to their age-old rivals, which could bring them closer to securing the La Liga title.

Madrid fans are hopeful that the next Clásico will be an opportunity to confirm their superiority, not only domestically but also mentally, especially after Barcelona's exit from the Champions League. This makes the focus on clinching the La Liga title even stronger for Madrid, who are in a better psychological position compared to their rivals still reeling from their European disappointment.

Social media has turned into a playground for mocking Barcelona, with tweets, posts, and memes celebrating Inter's goals and replaying the elimination scenes with humorous music. The standout message was one displayed at Real Madrid’s training center: "Thank you, Inter." Not just for eliminating our rival but for giving us the moral victory before the real battle begins on the pitch. The upcoming Clásico will not only be a La Liga match but one that carries much more significance in a season full of ups and downs.