In a thrilling Champions League quarterfinal first leg, Inter Milan kept its hopes of a treble alive by securing a 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich in Munich on Tuesday, marking Bayern’s first home defeat in the competition in nearly four years.
Lautaro Martínez opened the scoring for Inter in the first half, taking advantage of an earlier blunder from Bayern’s Harry Kane, who had struck the post. The miss left Kane visibly shocked as he missed the chance to gain an early advantage.
Thomas Müller, who recently announced his decision to leave Bayern at the end of the season, seemed to have secured a 1-1 draw for his team by scoring an equalizer just five minutes before the final whistle. However, Davide Frattesi found the back of the net for Inter only three minutes later, seizing the victory.
“Tonight wasn’t easy as we expected more challenges,” Müller admitted after the match. He reflected on the potential turnaround had Bayern maintained the draw, emphasizing, “(Or) else it’s 1-1, a good fightback and the Müller story would have played out.”
This defeat halted Bayern’s 22-game unbeaten streak at home in European matches, a formidable run that dated back to an encounter with Paris Saint-Germain on April 7, 2021. Meanwhile, Inter’s ambitions are alive, aiming to return to Munich for the Champions League final scheduled for May 31.
Before potentially advancing, Inter faces the challenge of playing against Bayern at San Siro next Wednesday. The winner of that encounter will then compete against either Barcelona or Borussia Dortmund in the semifinals.
Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni, crowned player of the match by UEFA, expressed confidence: “It’s a great sign, above all for us.” He acknowledged the possibility of other teams having more individually talented players but stressed Inter’s collective strength: “But playing together we can cause problems for everyone.”
On the same evening, Arsenal delivered a commanding performance, defeating Real Madrid 3-0, setting themselves up for a potential semifinal match against either Aston Villa or PSG.
Inter’s victory marked a departure from recent history, where they had faced two consecutive Champions League defeats against Bayern last season. Nonetheless, they have fond memories of overcoming Bayern in the 2010 final, leading to a historic treble accomplishment, which they hope to replicate this year.
Bayern struggled with injuries, including a notable absence of attacking midfielder Jamal Musiala who suffered a hamstring injury recently. Inter also faced squad challenges due to player absences.
In the 26th minute, Kane almost improved his impressive 10-goal tally in the Champions League but ended up rattling the outside of the far post instead. The mishap left him on his knees, visibly disappointed.
In contrast, Lautaro displayed precision for Inter ten minutes later when he orchestrated a move that started and ended with him. Gathering the ball midfield, he launched Carlos Augusto down the left, leading to a cross for Marcus Thuram who set up Lautaro’s decisive strike into the net.
Lautaro’s goal was his sixth in his last four Champions League appearances.
During the second half, chances emerged for both teams but Bayern’s pressure eventually resulted in Müller’s close-range goal following a neat setup from Konrad Laimer.
Just when Bayern seemed poised for more, Inter capitalized on their defensive gaps. Nicolò Barella assisted an advancing Carlos Augusto, who passed to substitute Frattesi, securing the winner.
This captivating encounter leaves both teams with much anticipation moving into the return leg.