Inter are into the UEFA Champions League semifinals where they will face bitter rivals AC Milan after a 3-3 quarterfinal second leg draw with Benfica completed a 5-3 aggregate success.
Nicolo Barella was on target again after scoring in Lisbon with Fredrik Aursnes equalizing before half time to give Roger Schmidt's men hope of a comeback.
That optimism was short-lived as Simone Inzaghi's hosts took the lead through Lautaro Martinez and added another through substitute Joaquin Correa -- both from Federico Dimarco assists.
Barella and Correa's goals were particularly sweet with the Italian scoring once in each game and both lovely efforts while Correa had an instant impact after replacing Martinez by firing in off the post after some tricky footwork.
David Neres hit the post late on after a Marcelo Brozovic mistake let the Brazilian through and Antonio Silva did eventually score a second for Benfica.
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It looked too little too late from As Aguias who struggled to truly get going in this tie either at home or away until Petar Musa scored on the turn to level on the night.
This is the Nerazzurri's first final four appearance since they won the Champions League in 2010 under Jose Mourinho while Benfica go out in the quarterfinals again for the sixth time that they have reached this stage much to Schmidt's dismay after good early season form.
What a game that turned out to be! Barella and Aursnes traded first half goals before Martinez and Correa thought that they had won it for Inter. Antonio Silva and Musa had other ideas, though, as it finished 5-3 on aggregate. Thrilling stuff at San Siro which will now witness Inter vs. Milan in the Champions League.
Musa swivels to finish and level in Milan. Last kick of the game. Neres has been dismissed too! What late drama.
Surely not? Antonio Silva heads home from a Grimaldo free kick delivery to cut into Inter's commanding aggregate lead. Too little too late, no doubt, but a late rally from the Portuguese.
Surely that is that. Correa makes it 3-1 on the night and 5-1 on aggregate with a brilliant finish in off the post. The substitute with instant impact after some trickery in the box. Neres hits the post minutes later after a Brozovic error.
Lautaro puts the hosts back in front! Dimarco played in and supplies Martinez with a low ball which is steered into the roof of the net. Inter are on their way to the semifinals to face bitter rivals Milan.
Scenes in the stands as Benfica fans drop flares into a section of Inter fans. One to keep an eye on. Naughty behaviour which is unlikely to go unpunished.
Benfica penalty shout moments ago which many are incredulous was not given when Martinez was rash on Aursnes. Rafa Silva booked in the first few minutes of this second half, but Joao Mario looking more at ease so far in these second 45. Coming up on the hour and still 1-1 on the night and 3-1 over the two legs. Lukaku readying himself to replace Dzeko, surely.
Level on the night, but the hosts still lead by two goals on aggregate. Barella's superb opener canceled out by Aursnes' brilliant leveler. A lively first half so far and 45 big minutes coming up in Italy with this one still live.
Aursnes hands the visitors a lifeline with a superb header! Rafa Silva deliver a brilliant ball in to make it possible. Is there hope for the Portuguese giants yet? A long way to go suddenly in this tie.
Benfica looking to get back into it and draw a good stop out of the Cameroonian shot stopper from a set piece. Inter are immediate down the other end through Dimarco and the hosts remain in control. Martinez then has a goal disallowed for a shove in the back.
Barella gets his second of the tie and opens the scoring here. Wonderful curling effort into the top corner! Sublime finish from the Italian who makes it 3-0 to Inter on aggregate. Otamendi will feel guilty about having lost out to Dzeko in the build-up.
The game has kicked off in Milan. Huge 90 minutes coming up for both sides and their respective seasons. Early corner won by Benfica which comes to nothing. Visitors with the best of the opening exchanges as Inter take their time to come to life.
Inter's Lautaro Martinez. Romelu Lukaku (four goals), Lautaro Martinez (three) and Henrikh Mkhitaryan (two) had struck Inter's previous nine goals before Robin Gosens scored at Salernitana. He was the first player aside from that trio to find the net for the Nerazzurri since Matteo Darmian on Jan. 31 and is Inter's only scorer in their last four league games. Lautaro missed an early penalty in a 2-1 loss at Spezia on March 10. The Argentinian has failed to convert four of his last eight spot kicks since 2021-22. He has nine goals for Inter in 2023 but has failed to find the target in his last eight appearances in all competitions.
This is Benfica's first meeting with Italian opponents in a knockout tie since they beat Juventus 2-1 on aggregate in the 2013-14 UEFA Europa League semifinals. Inter have kept clean sheets in six of their last eight UEFA Champions League matches, including all three in the knockout phase. Former Inter midfielder Joao Mario had scored in five successive UEFA Champions League matches for Benfica, four of those goals penalties, before drawing a blank in the first leg.
Benfica won four of their six Group H games, the exceptions being two 1-1 draws against Paris Saint-Germain. A wild late goal swing in Israel meant that Roger Schmidt's side finished in first place ahead of Les Parisiens in the same group as Juventus and Maccabi Haifa. Paired with Club Brugge in the round of 16, Benfica went through with a 2-0 win in Belgium and a 5-1 home success.
Inter: Onana; Darmian, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Brozovic, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Lautaro, Dzeko.
Benfica: Vlachodimos; Gilberto, Antonio Silva, Otamendi, Grimaldo; Florentino, Chiquinho; Joao Mario, Rafa Silva, Aursnes; Ramos.
Inter's Group C campaign started and finished with 2-0 defeats against Bayern Munich, but they remained unbeaten in between those losses, collecting ten points including a decisive four against Barcelona (1-0 at home and 3-3 away) and wrapping up a spot in the knockout stage with a 4-0 success at home to Viktoria Plzen. The Nerazzurri knocked out Porto in the round of 16, winning 1-0 in Milan before holding out for a goalless draw in Portugal.
Inter and Benfica's only other meeting came in the 2003-04 UEFA Cup fourth round. The first leg in Lisbon finished goalless before a 4-3 victory for Alberto Zaccheroni's Inter in Milan. Although Nuno Gomes gave the visitors the lead, Obafemi Martins levelled before the break. Alvaro Recoba put Inter in front on the hour and Christian Vieri quickly extended the lead. Nuno Gomes' second goal of the night gave Benfica hope but Martins swiftly got his second and Inter's fourth. Inter claimed their second European Cup at Benfica's expense as well, Helenio Herrera's side winning 1-0 in the 1965 final at their own San Siro home thanks to the goal scored by Jair.
Inter XI: Onana; Darmian, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Brozovic, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Lautaro, Dzeko.
Benfica XI: Vlachodimos; Gilberto, Antonio Silva, Morato, Grimaldo; Florentino, Aursnes; Neres, Rafa Silva, Joao Mario; Goncalo Ramos.
Thanks for tuning in to our coverage from Inter vs. Benfica in this UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second leg. The Italian hosts lead 2-0 from the opening game in Lisbon and the Portuguese giants are up against it here to reach the semifinals. You can follow all of the build-up and action right here or even tune in for our coverage on Paramount+ too. Team news coming up as soon as we get it.
