Manchester City and Inter Milan qualify for the semi-finals

2023-04-19 23:23:00

Manchester City held the shock on the lawn of Bayern Munich with a draw, as did Inter Milan against Benfica Lisbon.

By LL with AFP

Manchester City held the shock on the lawn of Bayern Munich with a draw, as did Inter Milan against Benfica Lisbon.
© MATTHIAS BALK / DPA / dpa Picture Alliance via AFP

Published on 04/19/2023 at 23h23

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MAnchester City, who held the shock on the lawn of Bayern Munich (1-1), and Inter Milan, yet forced to draw at San Siro by Benfica Lisbon (3-3), logically qualified Wednesday for the Champions League semi-finals after doing most of the work in the first leg.

City will face Real Madrid for a place in the final, in a huge clash, and Inter Milan will be entitled to a double derby with their arch-rivals, AC Milan (goes May 9-10, returns May 16-17).

Manchester City, solide

Winner 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City approached their trip to Munich with a very good margin. Pep Guardiola’s men have been roughed up by Bayern, who have been plagued by doubts lately, but they never gave in, giving themselves the right to continue their European adventure with a new feat from the phenomenal Erling Haaland in the second half ( 57^e), Joshua Kimmich’s penalty equalizer (83^e) being anecdotal.

The top scorer in the competition (12 goals) had started the match in the worst possible way by missing a very severe penalty whistled shortly before the break by French referee Clément Turpin for a handball by Dayot Upamecano (37^e). But he did not abdicate, playing with the Bavarian defense and the unfortunate Upamecano, already in great difficulty in Manchester a week ago, to shoot Bayern goalkeeper Yann Sommer (57^e).

The tricolor defender had previously narrowly escaped humiliation after receiving a red card at the start of the game, canceled after intervention by the VAR for an offside at the start of the action.

Here is City two games away from a second C1 final after the one lost in 2021 against Chelsea. But, before going to Istanbul on June 10, it will be necessary to get rid of Real Madrid. The double confrontation with the defending champion and holder of the record for victories in the event (14) promises to be grandiose.

Inter, a derby in half

Thirteen years later, Inter Milan returns to the last four of the Champions League and will rub shoulders with an old acquaintance, AC Milan. After winning 2-0 in Lisbon, the Nerazzurri quietly managed their home lead, finding the opening through Nicolo Barella (14^e), Lautaro Martinez (65^e) and Joaquin Correa (78^e), Portuguese goals signed Fredrik Aursnes (38^e), Antonio Silva (86^e) et Petar Musa (90^e + 5) being inconsequential.

As he blows hot and cold in the league (4^e), where he has collected only one point in his last five outings, Inter know how to transcend themselves during European evenings this season. His qualification in any case ensures a ticket to Italy in the final, a first since 2017 and the defeat of Juventus Turin against Real Madrid (4-1).