Inter Milan’s treble chances are still very much on after it won 2-1 at Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals Tuesday to inflict the German team’s first home defeat in the competition in almost exactly four years. (Highlights | Football News)
Lautaro Martínez scored in the first half, shortly after Harry Kane had hit the woodwork for Bayern in an uncharacteristic miss that had the England forward clutching his face in disbelief.
Substitute Thomas Müller, who announced on Saturday that he was leaving the German club at the end of the season, appeared to have rescued a 1-1 draw for Bayern with the equalizer five minutes from time but Davide Frattesi scored the winner three minutes later.
“Tonight wasn’t a walk in the park and we weren’t expecting one,” Müller told broadcaster Prime Video. “We had a fair few chances, but unfortunately the last counter makes it 2-1.
“(Or) else it’s 1-1, a good fightback and the Müller story would have played out. I’ll have to complain to Inter.”
The result ended Bayern’s 22-match unbeaten home run in Europe — a streak stretching back to April 7, 2021, against Paris Saint-Germain — and kept up Inter’s hopes of returning to the same stadium for the Champions League final on May 31.
But first up it has to face Bayern in the return leg next Wednesday at San Siro, with the winner playing either Barcelona or Borussia Dortmund in the semifinals.
“It’s a great sign, above all for us,” said Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni, who was named player of the match by UEFA. “We have great self-esteem and we know that we can do great things if we play like this.
“Maybe from an individual point of view there are teams that have more talent, that are stronger than us. But playing together we can cause problems for everyone.”
Arsenal stunned Real Madrid 3-0 in Tuesday’s other game, leaving the English team on the verge of a semifinal matchup against either Aston Villa or PSG.
Inter had lost its last two meetings with Bayern 2-0 in the Champions League group stage in 2022-23 — the season the Italian team went on to reach the final.
However, it had beaten Bayern in the 2010 final to clinch a treble of the Champions League, Serie A and Italian Cup — something the Nerazzurri are looking to repeat this year.
Bayern was decimated by injuries, including to attacking midfielder Jamal Musiala after the Germany star tore a hamstring last weekend. Inter also had several players out.
Kane was looking to add to his tally of 10 Champions League goals this season and he should have done so in the 26th minute. The Bayern fans were practically already celebrating when the ball came to him on the left side of the area, completely unmarked, but he instead curled onto the outside of the far post.
Kane fell to his knees with hands on his face in disbelief.
While Bayern’s star forward missed, there was to be no such mistake from Inter’s 10 minutes later in a move started and finished by Lautaro.
The Argentina World Cup winner gathered the ball in the center circle and sent Carlos Augusto down the left. The Brazilian defender then crossed for Marcus Thuram to flick it backwards to an onrushing Lautaro, who smashed it into the roof of the net.
It was Lautaro’s sixth goal in his past four Champions League matches.
Both teams had chances in the second half but Bayern began to up the pressure as the game went on and its siege eventually paid off with a cross to the back post for Konrad Laimer, who put it back over the defenders for Müller to prod home from three yards out.
Bayern began to believe in the winner but that left gaps at the back and Nicolò Barella spotted the run of Carlos Augusto, who then sped into the box and rolled across for substitute Frattesi to tap in.
