Inter Milan Seal Champions League Semi-Final Spot After Thrilling Draw With Bayern
Inter Milan secured their place in the Champions League semi-finals after an exhilarating 3-3 draw with Bayern Munich at the San Siro, completing a hard-fought victory on aggregate to set up a mouth-watering clash with Barcelona in the final four.
The Italian champions came into the second leg with a narrow 2-1 advantage from their trip to Munich, but that cushion was erased early in the second half when Harry Kane fired home a precise, low-driven shot from the edge of the box, giving Bayern a vital away goal and leveling the tie.
That goal served as a wake-up call for Simone Inzaghi’s men, who responded with urgency and intensity. Just nine minutes after conceding, Inter reclaimed the lead on the night and seized control of the tie. Lautaro MartÃnez was quickest to react when the ball fell kindly to him in the six-yard box after a corner, smashing a fierce strike past Manuel Neuer to put Inter back in command.
The home side struck again almost immediately. This time, it was defender Benjamin Pavard—ironically on loan from Bayern—who rose highest to meet Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s whipped corner and powered a header into the net, extending Inter’s aggregate lead to two goals and sending the San Siro into raptures.
Bayern, under the guidance of Vincent Kompany, refused to back down. They clawed their way back into the contest in the 76th minute when Eric Dier found space at the back post and sent a looping header from a difficult angle over Yann Sommer and into the far corner.
Desperate to push the match into extra time, Bayern threw everything forward in the closing moments. Their golden opportunity arrived deep into stoppage time, but veteran forward Thomas Müller couldn’t beat Sommer with his close-range header in the 95th minute.
Despite the late pressure and tense finish, Inter held on and celebrated a dramatic aggregate victory that keeps their European dream alive. With Barcelona awaiting in the semi-finals, the stage is now set for a heavyweight showdown between two of the continent’s most storied clubs.
