Inzaghi's Inter hold nerve to see off Bayern and book Barca semi
KEY MEN: Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez celebrates after scoring with teammate Benjamin Pavard, right, during the Champions League quarter final soccer match between Inter Milan and Bayern Munich at San Siro Stadium in Milan, North Italy, Wednesday April 16, 2025. Pic: Spada/LaPresse via AP)
INTER Milan held their nerve to fend off Bayern Munich’s determined efforts to overturn a one-goal first leg deficit and set up a Champions League semi-final with Barcelona.
Simone Inzaghi’s side may not have featured prominently among the favourites at the start of the competition but their performances over the two legs of the quarter-final underlined their credentials as contenders.
Backed by a single goal advantage from the first leg in Munich, Inter’s hopes of reaching the last four appeared in doubt when Harry Kane put Bayern ahead early in the second half only for them to respond emphatically with two goals in three minutes from Lautaro Martinez and Benjamin Pavard.
A 75th minute header by Eric Dier once again gave Bayern hope but Inter drew on the outstanding defensive qualities they had showcased over the two legs to repel late pressure and move one step closer towards the chance to reach the final for the second time in three seasons.
The manner of Inter’s win in Munich only served to underline the scale of the task facing the Bundesliga leaders in the San Siro. The Italians defended superbly while always looking threatening on the counter and the opening moments of the second leg confirmed it would be more of the same in the return.
Vincent Kompany restored Thomas Muller to the starting line up and the veteran playmaker figured prominently as Bayern started the game impressively. Just as in the first meeting, Michael Olise was at the heart of the German side’s best attacking efforts but the Inter defence quickly showed there would be no easy route through.
Pavard, the Inter centre-back, demonstrated the kind of defending that typified his side’s efforts when made an excellent block to divert Olise’s effort wide after the winger had combined with Muller to create the shooting opportunity. And Muller was again the provider when he set up Olise for a clear chance that was snuffed out by another outstanding intervention by Alessandro Bastoni.
A reminder of Inter’s attacking threat came when Marcus Thuram led a swift, direct move before picking out Federico Dimarco whose powerful, low shot tested keeper Jonas Urbig. Urbig was also relieved to see a long-range effort from Hakan Calhanoglu fly wide.
It was Bayern though who continued to dominate first-half possession although a period before the break summed up their frustrations. Olise and right-back Konrad Laimer provided an effective outlet on the right and a Laimer pull-back set up a close-range shooting chance for Muller who was slow to react. And when first Joshua Kimmich and then Leroy Sane did manage to get a shot on target, their efforts were easily dealt with by Inter keeper Yann Sommer.
Kompany’s side could be satisfied with much of their work during the opening 45 minutes but they needed to find a spark if they were to work their way back on level terms in the tie. And it came from a familiar source when Kane beat Sommer in the 51st minute. Laimer pushed forward before finding Leon Goretzka who laid off the ball to Kane who had the time to weigh up his shot before firing through Dimarco’s legs and beyond Sommer.
Just as in the first leg, however, Bayern were caught out moments after scoring. Muller passed a good chance to add a second when he shot wastefully over and the miss proved costly when Martinez equalised just six minutes after Kane had struck.
The Inter skipper reacted first to slam home from six yards after reacting first to a loose ball following Dimarco’s corner. And three minutes later Bayern were undone by another corner when Pavard rose above Kim Min-jae to head past Urbig from close range.
Bayern’s hopes appeared to have disappeared but they were revived when Dier met Serge Gnabry’s cross at the far post and looped a header beyond Sommer. Muller and Kimmich had late chances but Inter’s defensive resolve never wavered.
Sommer 6; Pavard 7, Acerbi 8, Bastoni 8 (Bisseck 87,6); Darmian 6, Barella 7 (Frattesi 87,6), Calhanoglu 8, Mkhitaryan 6, Dimarco 6 (Augusto 75,6); Thuram 7, Martinez 8 (Taremi 81,6). Di Gennaro, J Martinez, De Vrij, Arnautovic, Asllani, Berenbruch, Cocchi, Zalewski.
Urbig 6; Laimer 7 (Pavlovic 84,6), Dier 7, Kim 5 (Guerreiro 65, 6), Stanisic 6; Kimmich 7, Goretzka 6 (Coman 82, 6); Olise 6, Muller 8, Sane 6 (Gnabry 65, 6); Kane 7. Peretz, Klanac, Paulinha, Boey, Vidovic, Kusi-Asare, Karl.
Slavko Vincic (Slovenia) 6
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