Inter Milan advance to Champions League semi-finals

Inter Milan has progressed to the Champions League semi-finals after drawing 3-3 with Benfica on Wednesday, winning the quarter-final 5-3 on aggregate.  

The team will now face their city rivals AC Milan in the upcoming match to determine which team will be the first Italian team to reach the finals in six years. Inter’s last semi-final appearance was in 2010, the year they won the European Cup for the third time. Juventus is the only other Italian team to have reached the Champions League finals since then, losing in both 2015 and 2017.

Inter’s striker Lautaro Martinez expressed his excitement about the upcoming match against AC Milan, calling it a “special derby.” The team’s victory against Benfica has left them feeling proud to represent the Inter Milan crest and club. The team’s success in the Champions League is a positive sign for the club as it indicates that they are returning to their former glory.

During their match against Benfica, Inter Milan remained resolute and were never in danger of losing their lead. The team had won the first leg 2-0 in Portugal and were content to sit back and wait for a counter-attack against a desperate Benfica side. Inter Milan took the lead after just 13 minutes when defender Nicolas Otamendi failed to control a loose ball near his own area. Nicolo Barella was quick to react and scored Inter’s first goal after a one-two combination with Lautaro.

Benfica equalized in the 38th minute with a close-range header from midfielder Fredik Aursnes. Inter Milan, however, scored two goals after the break through Martinez and substitute Joaquin Correa, before Benfica’s Antonio Silva and Petar Musa scored late goals to salvage a draw.

The upcoming semi-final match between the Milan teams will be the third time they have met in the Champions League knockout stages. AC Milan won both of the previous ties, the 2002-03 semi-finals and the 2004-05 quarter-finals.