Inter Milan reach Champions League final in 13 years

Inter Milan advanced to the final round in 13 years, winning the Milan Derby, the semi-final round, of the UEFA Champions League.

The team won 1-0 against AC Milan on May 17 in the second round of the semi-finals of the 2022-2023 Champions League. Inter Milan won 2-0 in the first round on May 11 and advanced to the final with a total score of 3-0. It has won all four matches this year. Previous matches with AC Milan in the Champions League were even with two wins, two draws, and two losses.

It is the sixth time for the Milano-based football club to advance to the Champions League final and the first time in 13 years since the 2009-2010 season, in which current AS Roma coach Jose Mourinho (Italy) led Inter Milan. Back then it became the only Italian club to win the treble (triple crowns) for Serie A, Coppa Italia (Italy Football Association Cup), and the Champions League. Inter Milan has reached topped the Champions League three times: 1963-1964, 1964-1965, 2009-2010 seasons.

It is the first time in six years for an Italian football club to compete in the finals of the Champions League since Juventus finished second in the 2016-2017 season. Inter Milan went to the round of 16 after finishing second in Group C after Bayern Munich. It is the first time since Tottenham and Liverpool in the 2018-2019 season for a team won second place in the group match competing in the final round.

Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez received Romelu Lukaku's pass from the left side of the goal post in the 29th minute of the second half and scored the winning goal with his left-foot. Martinez, who joined the club in 2018, has played strongly by scoring eight goals against AC Milan so far. “We did a great job in both matches. The key was the group,” said Martinez, who is also with the national football team of Argentina. “I had a similar experience at the World Cup: if you are united, you get to play these very important matches in the best possible way. I am very happy to have achieved my dream to play in the Champions League finals,” he said.

Inter Milan will be preparing to achieve its fourth big year in the final match held in Istanbul, Turkiye on June 11.


Bae-Jung Kim wanted@donga.com