But Inter rode their luck. Late Barca substitute Bojan Krkic missed a sitter and had what would have been a stoppage-time winner ruled out.

Inter’s Brazilian midfielder Thiago Motta saw red on the 28 minutes for a needless hand-off on Sergio Busquets.

The dismissal was controversial, but the already-booked Motta deserved a second caution, which would have seen him sent-off anyway.

But only once until the closing stages was Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar called upon. And when he was, by Lionel Messi’s curling left-foot shot on 32 minutes, he produced the save of the tournament, diving full-length to tip the ball round the post.

Bojan headed Messi’s pinpoint cross wide from six yards on 82 minutes. But two minutes later, Pique picked up Xavi’s pass superbly wrong-footed Ivan Cordoba and Julio Cesar before planting the ball into the net.

Bojan lashed home what looked like the winner in stoppage time, but Yaya Toure unintentionally handled seconds earlier and was penalised, sending Inter through.