Inter Milan have advanced to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League after a captivating 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich at the San Siro in the second leg of their quarter-final tie on Wednesday night. The result secured a 4-3 aggregate victory for the Nerazzurri, following their 2-1 win in the first leg in Munich.
Despite heading into the match with a historical advantage of never losing a UCL or European Cup knockout tie after winning the first leg away, Inter faced a determined Bayern Munich side eager to overturn the deficit.
The first half saw both teams create opportunities, with Bayern’s Thomas Muller and Michael Olise posing threats, while Inter’s Federico Dimarco and Hakan Calhanoglu also had chances. A crucial last-ditch tackle from Alessandro Bastoni denied Olise a clear shot on goal. Bayern increased the pressure towards the end of the first half, with Leroy Sane and Joshua Kimmich forcing saves from Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer, ensuring the score remained 0-0 at the break.
The deadlock was broken early in the second half when Harry Kane, who had been relatively quiet, received a pass from Leon Goretzka and fired a precise shot into the bottom corner to level the aggregate score.
However, Inter responded swiftly, mirroring their first-leg performance by scoring just minutes later. Lautaro Martinez capitalized on a loose ball after a corner to powerfully strike the ball into the bottom left corner, sending the San Siro crowd into raptures as the Argentine became the first Inter player to score in five consecutive Champions League appearances.
The atmosphere reached fever pitch shortly after as former Bayern defender Benjamin Pavard rose highest to head home from another corner, putting Inter back in the lead on aggregate. Just moments before, Eric Dier had made a vital goal-line clearance for Bayern.
Undeterred, Bayern reduced the deficit once more when Eric Dier met a Serge Gnabry cross and looped a header into the far corner from a tight angle, making it 2-2 on the night and 4-3 on aggregate.
Despite Bayern’s late surge and intense pressure in stoppage time, Inter held firm to secure the draw and their place in the Champions League semi-finals. This victory also extends Inter’s impressive unbeaten home run in the UCL to 15 matches, the longest active streak in the competition.
Inter Milan, the 2010 Champions League winners, will now face Barcelona in the semi-finals, with their hopes of achieving a treble (Serie A, Champions League, and Coppa Italia) still alive. For Bayern Munich and Harry Kane, this defeat means another trophy eludes them, although they remain in a strong position to reclaim the Bundesliga title.
