Inter Milan advance to first Champions League final after decade

Inter Milan defeated city rivals AC Milan 1-0 in the second leg of the Champions League semifinal, progressing to their first final in over a decade. 

Inter's Lautaro Martinez scored the only goal of the game, securing a 3-0 aggregate win and setting up a final against either Real Madrid or Manchester City on June 10 in Istanbul, Turkey. 

Despite being considered underdogs, Inter's strong performance throughout the semifinal suggests they will be a formidable opponent in the final.

The victory marks the team's first final since 2010, when they won the league, Italian Cup and Champions League under Jose Mourinho.

The "Euroderby" between Inter Milan and AC Milan was highly anticipated and lived up to its reputation as a fierce contest between two rival clubs. AC Milan had the added incentive of ending a lengthy wait to reach the final. They had last made it to the showpiece event in 2007 when they won the last of their seven titles.

AC Milan welcomed back Rafael Leao, who missed the previous game due to a thigh injury. The team hoped his return would inspire them to overturn the 2-0 deficit. In the early stages of the match, Brahim Diaz had a weak shot saved by Inter goalkeeper André Onana, but Leao had the first real chance to get his team back in the game shortly before half-time. However, his angled drive hit the outside of the far post.

The second half belonged to Inter Milan, who dominated the game and sealed their place in the final with Martinez’s goal. The Nerazzurri was able to rely on the same attacking partnership that had led them to the Serie A title two years ago, with Romelu Lukaku setting up Martinez for the only goal.

Inter Milan's impressive performance in the all-Milan derby suggests that they will pose a formidable challenge to either Real Madrid or Manchester City in the final in Istanbul, Turkey, on June 10. Despite being considered underdogs, the team's performance in both legs of the semi-final showcases their strengths and ability to win when it counts.

Inter Milan will be looking to secure their first Champions League title in over a decade, with a determined and confident squad ready to take on whichever opponent they face in the final.

Inter Milan (3-5-2)

Andre Onana; Matteo Darmian, Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Bastoni; Denzel Dumfries, Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Federico Dimarco; Edin Dzeko, Lautaro Martinez (capt)

Coach: Simone Inzaghi (ITA)

AC Milan (4-2-3-1)

Mike Maignan; Davide Calabria (capt), Malick Thiaw, Fikayo Tomori, Theo Hernandez; Rade Krunic, Sandro Tonali; Junior Messias, Brahim Diaz, Rafael Leao; Olivier Giroud

Coach: Stefano Pioli (ITA)

Referee: Clement Turpin (FRA)