Inter Milan reached its first Champions League final in more than a decade with a 1-0 victory against city rival AC Milan on Tuesday. (More Football News)
Inter had a 2-0 lead from the first leg of the semifinal and Lautaro Martinez바카라s 74th-minute goal ended any hopes for Milan to stage a comeback.
Several players from both teams fell to the ground in tears at the final whistle as the Nerazzurri won the so-called 바카라Euroderby바카라 3-0 on aggregate to progress to its first final since it won the league, Italian Cup and Champions League under José Mourinho in 2010.
Inter players and staff celebrated for long afterwards with their fans, singing and dancing in front of the Curva Nord packed full of Nerazzurri supporters in an electric atmosphere at San Siro 바카라 the stadium that both teams share.
바카라It바카라s obviously a great emotion, a dream that I had together with the guys, that we nurtured right from when the draw was made,바카라 Inter coach Stefano Inzaghi said. 바카라We had to believe in ourselves and we have got here by merit, no one has gifted us anything.
바카라We had a long road, with difficulties, but I think we earned it. I think probably from tomorrow we바카라ll realize more what we have done. But it바카라s a wonderful night with the fans, with our family, you can바카라t ask for anything more.바카라
Inter will face either 14-time champion Real Madrid or another juggernaut in Manchester City on June 10 in Istanbul. The second leg of the other semifinal is on Wednesday, with the scoreline locked at 1-1.
바카라Whoever we end up with, we will be unlucky, because they are two really great teams with incredible quality,바카라 Inzaghi said with a wry smile. 바카라I will watch tomorrow바카라s match, like I watched the first leg. 바카라 Obviously we will follow it closely.바카라
For Milan, the lengthy wait goes on. It last reached the showpiece event in 2007, when it won the last of its seven titles.
바카라At the moment, there바카라s only disappointment, there바카라s only disappointment because we could have been in a Champions League final,바카라 Milan coach Stefano Pioli said. 바카라But if we think that last year we went out in the group stage and this year we managed to reach the semifinals we can and should be proud.
바카라But it바카라s clear we dreamt of reaching the final, we wanted the final, we wanted to beat our rivals.바카라
Milan was able to welcome back Rafael Leão. He missed last week바카라s loss with a thigh injury and the Rossoneri were hoping his comeback would inspire the team to do the same.
The difference was immediately apparent as Milan played with an intensity it sorely lacked in the first leg amid a frantic start from both teams.
Brahim Díaz saw a weak shot comfortably smothered by Inter goalkeeper André Onana early on before Leão almost got Milan back into it with his first real sight of goal, shortly before halftime. The winger sprinted into the left of the area, but his angled drive grazed the outside of the far post.
Inter also had its chances to score the goal that would have all but killed the tie off as Henrikh Mkhitaryan fired over the bar, while Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan pulled off a brilliant reaction save to keep out an Edin Džeko header from close range.
Inter sealed its place in the final when Martínez made his way into left side of the area and exchanged passes with Romelu Lukaku 바카라 who had come on for Džeko less than 10 minutes earlier 바카라 before firing in at the near post.
It was that same formidable attacking partnership that fired Inter to the Serie A title two years ago, earning the duo the nickname 바카라LuLa.바카라
바카라The biggest regret is the first 10 minutes of the first leg when we conceded two goals in three, four minutes,바카라 Pioli said. 바카라And also not scoring tonight when we had the chances 바카라 that would have given us the enthusiasm, the energy, the extra confidence that could have helped us open up the match.바카라
