-Swapnil Mukherjee
Internazionale of Milan are into the final of the Champions League for the first time since 2010. Inter, who were also champions of Europe in 1963-64 and 1964-65, beat AC Milan, their city rivals, 1-0 in the semi-final second leg at the San Siro. A goal from Lautaro Martinez, their captain, midway through the second half was enough to seal a 3-0 aggregate victory against Milan, seven-times champions of Europe.
Inter will face either Manchester City or Real Madrid in the final in Istanbul in June. That tie is locked at 1-1 heading into Wednesday’s second leg at the Etihad Stadium.
Inter are currently third in Italy’s Serie A, behind Napoli, the runaway champions. Milan are fifth, and outside the Champions League places, with three matches remaining. Inter have now won three in a row against their great rivals, with whom they have shared an iconic stadium for decades.
.@Inter fans go crazy at the San Siro.
Inter Milan through to the Champions League Final.#uefachampionsleaguepic.twitter.com/zzTS2jIKPD
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) May 16, 2023
AC Milan welcomed back Rafael Leáo, after he had missed the first leg injured, and his thrilling run and shot in the first half, which skimmed just past the far post, was their best opportunity to get back into the contest. Otherwise, Inter controlled vast stretches of the game, with Milan rarely coming close to scoring.
Mike Maignan made a couple of superb saves in the Milan goal as Inter didn’t just sit back. In truth, the damage had been done in the first leg, with goals from Edin Dzeko and Henrik Mkhitaryan in the first 11 minutes. Leáo gave Stefano Pioli’s side much more energy, but Inter’s defence kept their eighth clean sheet of the competition to ensure that there were no alarms.
It was the first time Milan had been in the semi-finals since Carlo Ancelotti led them to glory in Athens in 2007, avenging the loss to Liverpool in Istanbul two seasons earlier. Both Milan goals that night came from Filippo Inzaghi. Milan fans wouldn’t have missed the irony in Simone Inzaghi, Superpippo’s younger brother, masterminding this Inter triumph over their side.
Inter’s 2-0 win over Bayern Munich in the 2010 final completed a remarkable treble of Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League under Jose Mourinho’s guidance. They remain the only Italian side to have achieved the feat.