EuroDerby it is.
Inter got rid of Benfica with a 3-3 draw at San Siro after a 2-0 victory in the first leg and gained access to the Champions League semi-final against their cousins Milan.
A solid performance by Simone Inzaghi's men, who brought the Nerazzurri back into the top four in Europe for the first time since 2009/10, when they then lifted the cup in Madrid with José Mourinho.
To get to the final in Istanbul this time the clash with Maignan and his companions will be renewed, a European clash in a Milanese sauce that hasn't been seen since 2004/05 (Milan passed after 2-0 in the first leg and 3-0 at the table after returning after Inter's fans threw smoke bombs), with the precedent of the bitter disappointment for Inter in the semi-final of the 2002/03 season, when their city rivals progressed to the final with two draws and then won against Juventus in Manchester.
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Champions: Inter-Benfica 3-3 - Sport
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However, there will be time to get to the derby, meanwhile Inzaghi is once again enjoying the best version of his Inter, the beautiful one in Europe and not the ugly one in the league: solid, capable of reacting and resisting even in the most difficult and glacial moments in the goal area .
Driven by its leaders such as Barella (also scored in the second leg after the goal in Lisbon) and Lautaro Martinez, but also by experienced men such as Dzeko and Mkhitaryan.
Even if at 3-1 the Nerazzurri pulled the plug, not a very positive sign for Inzaghi but at that point qualification was already in his pocket.
On the other hand, Inter had the merit of directing the challenge right away thanks to a pearl from Barella, who returns with his heel and finds a left-handed player who slips under the seven.
Benfica's reaction was small, the only danger that Onana ran was from a free-kick from distance by Grimaldo which the Inter goalkeeper saved by diving.
arrives after half an hour with a free kick by Grimaldo well saved by diving Onana.
Lautaro would also find the double, but freed himself with a push from Gilberto before hitting the net with his head and referee Del Cerro Grande cancelled.
However, Benfica strikes at Inter's first sleep, a cross from Rafa Silva and a goring from Aursnes who anticipates Dumfries and beats Onana, reviving not only Schmidt's team but also the 5,000 fans who arrived from Portugal (protagonists also of a throwing of smoke bombs towards the sector of Inter supporters in the second half).
In the second half, Schmidt throws the more offensive Neres into the fray to try to overturn the challenge and in fact the Portuguese raise the pressure, also protesting a slide in the area by Lautaro on Aursnes on which, however, both the referee and the Var do not intervene.
Inter closes down and tries to restart, even doing it dangerously with a header from Dzeko that misses the mirror.
So Lautaro Martinez takes care of dispelling the fears of the 75 thousand at San Siro: Mkhitaryan-Dimarco combination, brushstroke from the winger for the Argentine who brings the Nerazzurri forward from two steps away.
However, Inzaghi's men did not stop, driven by the charge from the Meazza, and also found the 3-1 with a great play by Correa, who jumped Otamendi dry and with his right foot ended the match and qualification.
However, Benfica didn't give up, hitting the post with Neres and even finding the equalizer with two goals signed by Antonio Silva and Musa in the final.
But it's too late, the ticket for the semi-final was already in Inter's pocket.
ANSA agency
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