Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final was just 30 seconds old by the time Marcus Thuram broke the deadlock for Inter against Barcelona.

The French forward produced an audacious flick inside the opening minute, darting ahead of Inigo Martinez to turn Denzel Dumfries’ low cross beyond the hopeless Wojciech Szczesny and register the fastest goal ever scored in a Champions League semi-final.

Thuram had been a major fitness doubt heading into the first leg of this final four tie. Inter have been without their No 9 for the past three matches – all of which ended in goalless defeats to leave the club’s hopes of a treble in tatters. On either side of successive Serie A losses which allowed Napoli to take the lead in Italy’s top flight, a Thuram-less Inter were dumped out of the Coppa Italia by fierce rivals AC Milan last Wednesday.

The 27-year-old didn’t need long to remind Inter why they were so desperate to rush him back from an adductor injury.

However, as quick as Thuram’s effort was, it doesn’t come close to the fastest goal in Champions League history. That honour belongs to Roy Makaay, who fired Bayern Munich in front against Real Madrid in 2007 after 10.12 seconds, per UEFA.

Valencia forward Jonas needed 10.96 seconds to score against Bayer Leverkusen in 2011 while Arsenal’s Gilberto Silva waited a relative age – 20.07 seconds – to find the net for the Gunners in a 4-0 rout of PSV Eindhoven in 2002.

Thuram’s blistering effort proved to be just the first of six goals in a breathless 3-3 ding-dong in Catalonia on Wednesday evening.