On Tuesday, Inter Milan earned a spot in their first Champions League final in 13 years by defeating AC Milan 3-0 on aggregate, with Lautaro Martinez’s sole goal of the match proving to be the key moment of the night at the San Siro. Inter will face the winner of the semi-final between Real Madrid and Manchester City in the final on June 10 in Istanbul.
Despite being the underdogs, Inter displayed a cohesive team effort that suggests they will be difficult to defeat. Martinez praised his team’s “great work” and unity, stating that their success came from working together toward a common goal.
Trailing 2-0 from the first leg, Milan pushed hard in the first half, with Rafael Leao spearheading their offense. However, Maignan made a fantastic save, diving to his knees to collect Edin Dzeko’s glancing header from Hakan Calhanoglu’s pacy free-kick. Lukaku’s introduction in the second half proved to be the game-changer for Inter Milan, as he immediately caused problems in the Milan defence and provided the assist for Martinez’s winning goal.
Inter Milan’s last Champions League victory was in 2010 under Jose Mourinho. Facing either Manchester City or record 14-time winners Real Madrid in the final, they remain optimistic and are ready to give it their all.