Inter enter the 2022/23 Champions League final by beating arch-rivals Milan 1-0 in the second leg at San Siro and 3-0 on aggregate Captain Lautaro Martinez’s strike deep into the second half added to Edin Dzeko and Henrikh Mkhitariyan’s strike last week to help Nerazzurri experience first European final after over a decade. Simone Inzaghi’s side will face the winners of the other semifinal, either Manchester City or the holders Real Madrid, in the showpiece to be played in Istanbul next month.
Already leading 2-0 from the first leg, Inter only needed a draw to progress and relied on their defensive solidity to take them through. With Rafael Leao back from injury to start the second leg, Milan found a spark in the attack hugely lacking in the previous week. The Rossoneri started brightly with Brahim Diaz missing a huge chance to take the lead in the match with his venom-less strike saved easily by Andre Onana. Leao also dragged his shot wide with only Onana to beat in the box. Inter also tested Mike Maignan at the other end forcing a reflex save from the French international to Dzeko’s header from a free-kick.
However, Milan failed to maintain their threat in the second half with Inter tightening up things further. The Nerazzurri went on to seal the tie in the 73rd minute with Martinez beating Maignan at the near post. Romelu Lukaku made a major impact coming off the bench, setting up the goal for his striking partner and also had his shot saved in stoppage time. While his parent club Chelsea languish in 11th position on the Premier League table and without European football for next season, the Belgian will taste the Champions League final with his loaned club.
Stats and Records
Eight
Lautaro Martinez has eight goals against Milan which is more than any other opponent he has managed to score in his career. He is also the top scorer against Milan across all competitions since joining Inter in 2018. The 25-year-old has scored 25+ goals in all competitions in back-to-back seasons for the first time in his career.
Six
6 - #Inter have reached their sixth European Cup/Champions League final in their history, returning at this stage of the competition for the first time since 2009/10. Return.#InterMilanACMIlan #UCL pic.twitter.com/19bQmekmeC
Inter have reached the European Cup or the Champions League final for the sixth time in their history. This will be their first appearance in the showpiece since the 2009-10 season, also the last time they won the competition under a certain Jose Mourinho.
Five
For the very first time in its history, the Milan derby has been played five times in a single season. It is also the second time Inter have beaten Milan in four meetings in a campaign, last doing so in the 1973/74 campaign. The Nerazzurri beat the Rossoneri in Serie A, in the Coppa Italia semifinals, in the SuperCoppa Italiana final along an din both legs in the Champions League semifinals.
Three
The Nerazzurri will be competing in a third cup final this season having done so in the 2010-11 campaign. They won three of the four finals back then. In addition to the Champions League final, Inter have made it to the Coppa Italia final and also won the SuperCoppa Italiana back in January this term.
Two
Simone Inzaghi is only the second manager from Italy to guide Inter to a European Cup/Champions League final after Giovanni Invernizzi in 1972. He is also the second Italian after Antonio Conte to manage Inter to a second European final in four years.
Magic of the Runners-up
Inter are the first Italian side to reach the Champions League final despite finishing as runners-up in their group in that season after Juventus in 2014-15. They are the third team to enter the showpiece in this manner after Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspurs both in the 2018-19 season.
First Timers
For the first time in their history, the Rossoneri have failed to score against their city rivals in four consecutive games. At the same time, Inter have kept four consecutive clean sheets against Milan for the first time in the club’s history. Andre Onana guarded the post in each of them.
Flair
Lautaro Martinez became the third Argentine player to score at least 10 goals in European Cup/Champions League for Inter after Julio Cruz (13) and Hernán Crespo (11). He is the fifth player to reach the tally in theclub's history, the highest tally being Adriano (14).
Winning formula
The last two of the three sides that have knocked Milan from a European Cup/Champions League final have gone on to lift the title. Inter will be the first after Barcelona in 2005-06 to do so after becoming only the fifth side to knock their rivals out of a seminal across European competitions.
