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Thursday, April 17, 2025

Inter Milan edge Bayern to book Champions League semi-final spot

With their treble hopes still alive, Inter now prepare to face Barcelona in the semi-finals. 

• April 16, 2025
Inter Milan players
Inter Milan players [Credit: Outlook India ]

Inter Milan are through to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals after a tense 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich at the San Siro sealed a 4-3 aggregate victory for the Nerazzurri.

Holding a 2-1 lead from the first leg in Munich, Inter entered the return fixture with history on their side—never having been knocked out of a European Cup or Champions League tie after winning the first leg away. The iconic San Siro set the stage for a thrilling second leg, and despite an injury-hit squad, Bayern showed early intent.

Vincent Kompany’s men started on the front foot, with veteran forward Thomas Müller proving a handful and linking well with Michael Olise to test Inter’s defence. A crucial intervention from Alessandro Bastoni denied Olise a potential opener, while at the other end, Federico Dimarco and Hakan Çalhanoğlu both fired off target for the hosts.

Bayern finished the first half strongly, pressing for an equaliser on aggregate. Leroy Sané and Joshua Kimmich both forced saves from Yann Sommer, but Inter’s strong defensive record in first halves remained intact—conceding just once before the break in this season’s competition.

However, that run ended minutes after the restart. Harry Kane, largely quiet in the opening 45 minutes, made his presence felt by picking up a pass from Leon Goretzka and unleashing a clinical strike into the far bottom corner to give Bayern hope.

Inter’s response was immediate and emphatic. Much like the first leg, they struck back within minutes. Lautaro Martínez reacted quickest to a loose ball following a corner and powered home into the bottom corner, becoming the first Inter player to score in five consecutive Champions League matches.

The momentum stayed with the hosts, and the San Siro erupted again when former Bayern defender Benjamin Pavard rose above Kim Min-jae to head home a thunderous effort, making it 2-1 on the night and restoring Inter’s two-goal cushion on aggregate.

Just moments earlier, Eric Dier had made a crucial goal-line clearance, and the Englishman brought Bayern back into the contest with a looping header from a tight angle after connecting with Serge Gnabry’s cross-cutting the aggregate score to 4-3.

Bayern threw bodies forward in stoppage time in a desperate push for a winner, but Inter stood firm, extending their unbeaten home run in the Champions League to 15 matches—the longest active streak in the competition.

With their treble hopes still alive, Inter now prepare to face Barcelona in the semi-finals, aiming for a second final appearance in three seasons. For Bayern and Harry Kane, it’s another painful European exit, though the Bundesliga title remains within reach.

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