Inter beat Milan again, 1-0, to reach Champions League final

Inter Milan ousted crosstown rivals AC Milan for the first time in a European knock-out tie to reach the Champions League final for the first time in 13 years, beating them 1-0 on Tuesday for an aggregate 3-0 semi-final triumph.

Argentine World Cup winner Lautaro Martinez settled the affair with a tight-angle shot in the 74th minute, after early goals from Edin Dzeko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan last week had put Inter in command of the derby.

Milan were able to welcome back influential Portuguese winger Rafael Leao back from an adductor injury but rarely threatened on a wet night at the San Siro.

Three-time winners Inter reached the final of Europe's showcase event for the sixth time. Their last appearance was in 2010 when they beat Bayern Munich as part of a title treble, the last title for an Italian team in the competition.

In the June 10 final in Istanbul, they will face either title holders and record 14-times winners Real Madrid or Manchester City, with that tie locked at 1-1 going into Wednesday's return leg in England.

"We did a great job in both matches. The key was the group. 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," Martinez told Sky Italia.

"We knew we had this opportunity to reach the Champions League final and today we completed our job."

Milan coach Stefano Pioli said: "The players gave their all in both legs. Inter deserved to win and we congratulate ourselves with them."

Seven-time champions Milan had eliminated Inter in the 2003 semis and also in the 2005 quarter-finals when they were declared winners of the return leg which was abandoned after Inter fans had thrown fireworks onto the pitch with one them hitting Milan goalkeeper Dida.

There were no such incidents this time around when Dzeko's early volley was saved by goalkeeper Mike Maignan early in their 237th meeting overall.

Theo Hernandez aimed just high from a distance at the other end, and Milan came close again from Brahim Diaz before Leao showed his class when he ran down the left, cut inside and curled a shot just wide of the far right post.

Inter also threatened from Dzeko's header saved well by Maignan and Mkhitaryan's shot over the bar before the Armenian had to leave injured shortly before half-time.

Milan were badly in need of a goal after the break in their bid to reach a 12th final in the competition. But they only sort of threatened in the 70th when Leao's mis-cued header almost fell to team-mate Junior Messias but Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana gathered the ball.

Inter then ended all doubts with 16 minutes left when forwards Martinez and Romelu Lukaku, who had come on a few minutes earlier for Dzeko, exchanged play on the left before Martinez beat Maignan into the near corner.

Lautaro almost got a second eight minutes later as Inter beat Milan for the fourth time in as many 2023 duels, and without conceding a goal: 3-0 in the Italian Super Cup, 1-0 in Serie A, and 2-0 and 1-0 in the Champions League.