Inter Milan confirmed the Champions League final after 13 years

Inter Milan secured their place in the UEFA Champions League final after a disciplined display against AC Milan in the second leg of their semi-final clash. With a 2-0 lead from the first leg, Inter knew that a solid performance would be enough to see them through to their first Champions League final in 13 years. And that is exactly what they produced, with Lautaro Martinez scoring the only goal of the game to seal a 3-0 aggregate victory.

The game started at a frenetic pace, with Milan determined to get back into the tie early on. Theo Hernandez fired just over the bar with a ferocious strike and Brahim Diaz was denied by the impressive Andre Onana in the Inter goal. Rafael Leao, absent for Milan in the first leg, showed flashes of inspiration on his return but couldn’t find the target with a shot that went just wide of the post.

Inter gradually began to assert themselves and should have put the tie beyond doubt before half-time. Edin Dzeko’s close-range header was brilliantly saved by Mike Maignan, denying Inter a crucial away goal that would have all but ended the contest.

Milan continued to push forward in the second half, but Inter’s defence held firm and denied them any clear-cut chances. And with just 16 minutes remaining, Martinez pounced on a loose ball and fired it past Maignan to seal the win and send the Inter fans into raptures.

The victory was fully deserved for Inter, who produced two excellent performances to see off their city rivals and secure their place in the final. They will now face either Manchester City or Real Madrid in Istanbul on 10 June, as they bid to win their fourth Champions League title. The full-time whistle was greeted by a deafening noise from the Inter fans, who know that their team is just one game away from European glory.