Inter Milan secured their spot in the Champions League semi-finals by drawing 3-3 with Benfica and winning 5-3 on aggregate. The highly anticipated derby between Inter and AC Milan will determine who advances to the final, and this is the first time in six years that an Italian team has reached the final.
Inter striker Lautaro Martinez ended his 10-game goal drought with the team’s second goal against Benfica and expressed his pride in representing Inter and being part of the team’s comeback. He emphasized the significance of the upcoming Milan derby in the Champions League semi-finals, stating that “we all know what this game means.”
Inter dominated against Benfica and played a strong defensive game to maintain their advantage. After taking a 2-0 lead in the first leg in Portugal, Inter adopted a more conservative approach and waited for counter-attacking opportunities.
Nicolo Barella opened the scoring for Inter after 13 minutes with a powerful left-foot strike into the top corner of the net, following a one-two with Lautaro Martinez. Although Benfica equalized through Fredik Aursnes in the 38th minute, Inter took control in the second half, with Martinez and Joaquin Correa scoring close-range strikes to give the team a 3-1 lead.
Benfica refused to give up, however, and Antonio Silva and Petar Musa scored late goals to salvage a draw for the Portuguese team. The Milan teams have met twice in the Champions League knockout stages before, with AC Milan winning both ties in the 2002-03 semis and the 2004-05 quarter-finals
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