Pre-Match Social Media Commentary
🌍 | STARTING LINEUPS
It’s time for Milan v Inter — the first Derby della Madonnina in the #UCL since the 2005 quarterfinal! 🤩
Rafael Leão misses out through injury for I Rossoneri, while I Nerazzurri see Edin Džeko start up top alongside Lautaro Martínez.#MilanInter pic.twitter.com/VDZwJFJN72
— Sofascore (@SofascoreINT) May 10, 2023
OFFICIAL: AC Milan will be without Rafael Leão vs. Inter Milan today after the forward picked up a thigh injury last weekend pic.twitter.com/eWVQGEqWYj
— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 10, 2023
5 – Tonight Milan and Inter are facing each other for the fifth time in European competitions, with the Rossoneri unbeaten in the previous four matches (W2 D2). Taboo. #MilanInter #ChampionsLeague #UCL pic.twitter.com/KYAL0jk917
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) May 10, 2023
📍 San Siro
Here’s @adriandelmonte with a run through of the 🔑 talking points ahead of tonight’s @ChampionsLeague #MilanDerby!#beINUCL #MilanInter #UCL pic.twitter.com/vja8YNTNqr
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) May 10, 2023
Fikayo Tomori is named in AC Milan’s starting XI to face Inter tonight — he is set to become the first Englishman to play in a #UCL semi-final for a non-English side since Steve McManaman played for Real Madrid against Juventus in May 2003.
[Stat: @OptaJoe] pic.twitter.com/n5tw08Snb7
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) May 10, 2023
Some absolute ballers on show ⚽🔥
📝 Here’s the line-ups for the last time these two met in the Champions League in 2005! 👥#BBCFootball #UCL #ACMINT pic.twitter.com/CScyK6eNgi
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) May 10, 2023
A historic night in northern Italy brought into focus one of the biggest rivalries in football when heated rivals AC Milan and Inter Milan locked horns at the icon San Siro in the Champions League semi-finals, with Inter coming out on top in a hotly-contested 2-0 affair in Lombardy.
It was the first time in nearly three decades that Inter had beaten Milan on three occasions across three different competitions in one season, with Simone Inzaghi’s outfit proving the vastly superior side on a night where Stefano Pioli’s can hardly stand up to any measure of scrutiny after a painfully disappointing outing on all fronts.
✅ #UCL
✅ Serie A
✅ Supercoppa Italiana3 Inter Ws, 3 competitions, 1 season 💪
First time that has happened since 1994/95 🔙 pic.twitter.com/LqL41KtLz0
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 10, 2023
The blue half of Milan got off to a fantastic start inside the first eight minutes on a night that divided the San Siro when Bosnian veteran Edin Džeko slammed home a volley from close range after Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s inswinging corner found the big center-forward at the back post.
Džeko did well in a physical mismatch against Davide Calabria, making good on the club’s start as the away side that saw them press high and rely on the same systematic tendencies that have made them so successful against their bitter rivals of late.
Inter’s dream start continued just three minutes later when they added their second on the night through Henrik Mkhitaryan after the Arminian’s late run into the zone was picked out by Federico Dimarco before he slotted past Mike Maignan in an opening phase of play that few could have imagined.
I Nerazzurri nearly made it three to the good after sixteen minutes when Çalhanoğlu struck the post with a fantastic effort from range as the former AC Milan midfielder so nearly had the last laugh against a fanbase he remains at odds with since his departure.
It took Milan thirty minutes to find their first effort at Inter’s goal, with a clever back heal from Calabria at the near post but his effort could only hit the side netting. Inter nearly thought they earned a penalty after Lautaro Martínez went down in the box but VAR replays showed that the Argentine dove under minimal contact, gifting Milan a chance to stave off disaster.
The second stanza began with Inter continuing in their attempts to find the killer blow across the two-legged semi-final clash and nearly found their third goal in the 52nd minute just minutes after Milan crafted a big chance of their own through Messias, who could only bend his effort well wide of Onana’s far post.
Changes from both managers reflected the reality of proceedings that transpired on the San Siro pitch, with Milan rotating options into play that were meant to keep the scoreline at 2-0 to hopefully give Pioli’s side even the smallest chance of battling back next week in the second leg.
Simone Inzaghi’s troops took their foot off the gas as the match reached its final stages, and though Inter certainly had chances to triple their lead on the scoresheet, a two-goal advantage heading into next week’s second leg is certainly a justified advantage on the balance of play.
Milan star Rafael Leão is expected to be fit for service by then, however, as the Portuguese international was sorely missed on a night where the club lacked creativity or direct drive on the ball. His talent back in the team could be vital. Until then Inter can rest easy after putting one foot in the finals set to take place in Istanbul.
Key Stats & Performers
Inter have beaten Milan in the Champions League for the first time:
🤝 1-1
🤝 0-0
❌ 2-0
❌ 0- 3
✅ 2-0Advantage Inter. 🐍 pic.twitter.com/oD5vIfXGES
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) May 10, 2023
3 – Internazionale have beaten rivals Milan three times in all competitions in a season (once in the Supercoppa Italiana, once in Serie A, once in the UEFA Champions League) for the first time since the 1994-95 campaign. Bragging. pic.twitter.com/DCzYtYGJVG
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 10, 2023
Cameroonian 🇨🇲 André Onana is the first Inter Milan goalkeeper to record seven clean sheets in a single Champions League campaign.
He also has the most saves of a goalkeeper this season – 43. He joined the club on a free transfer last summer from Ajax. Good business. 👏🏾 pic.twitter.com/EWgqNvZxxQ
— Usher Komugisha (@UsherKomugisha) May 10, 2023
Nicoló Barella’s game by numbers vs. Milan:
26 touches
9 x possession won
5 touches in opp. box
4 passes into final ⅓
3 tackles made
3 duels won
2 chances created
2 shotsHe won possession more times than any other player on the pitch. ♨️#UCL pic.twitter.com/ftkxCayG24
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) May 10, 2023
🔎 | FOCUS
Edin Džeko v Milan:
⏱️ 70′ played
👌 41 touches
⚽️ 1 goal
🎯 3 shots/2 on target (0.69 xG)
🔑 1 key pass
💨 1/1 successful dribbles
🤺 3/4 ground duels won
🏔️ 5/6 aerial duels won
📈 7.4 Sofascore ratingHe’s our Player of the Match! 🌟#MilanInter #UCL pic.twitter.com/BvJlpQX5Fc
— Sofascore (@SofascoreINT) May 10, 2023
Despite only playing 63 minutes, Henrikh Mkhitaryan had as many shots on target (2) as every AC Milan player combined.
One way. 💥 pic.twitter.com/cK9CfAq94M
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) May 10, 2023
Full-Time Player Ratings
