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Inter beats Feyenoord again and flies to the Champions League quarterfinals. Thuram and Calhanoglu decisive. Now a challenge against Kompany’s Bayern Munich for the European dream.

Inter repeats the success of the first leg and overcomes Feyenoord in the return leg of the quarterfinals, thus earning a spot among the top eight of the Champions League. Simone Inzaghi’s men made the match easy as early as the 16th minute with a spectacular goal from Marcus Thuram, reminiscent of the one he scored in the derby last season. 

The penalty converted by Moder in the 42nd minute did not scare the Nerazzurri, who definitively closed the game in the 51st minute with Calhanoglu’s penalty. A very generous penalty, awarded for a foul on Taremi, but one that the Turk exploited to the fullest with his usual composure.

Despite the significant absences of Lautaro Martinez, De Vrij, Darmian, Dimarco, Zielinski, and Zalewski, Inter won and convinced, showing solidity and character in a match that was never really in question.

Inter, the protagonists

Among the protagonists of the evening, Marcus Thuram stands out, who finally seems close to his best version after a period of dimming. The French forward was the most dangerous and directed the match with a great goal.

Alongside him, the defense also offered a top-notch performance: Pavard had a quiet evening, with Feyenoord at one point seeming to have almost given up attacking from his side; Acerbi, initially destined for the bench, knew how to be ready after De Vrij’s pre-match problem, while Bisseck confirmed himself as a defensive guarantee, dominating opponents physically with his stature.

Carlos Augusto also performed well, showing surprising physical condition after the long break due to a calf injury.

Denzel Dumfries, for the first time as captain, offered another great performance, winning every duel with Bueno and demonstrating clear physical superiority. Finally, Henrikh Mkhitaryan was convincing, after appearing to struggle in recent weeks, especially physically.

On the other hand, Davide Frattesi and Mehdi Taremi need to improve, still far from their potential. A positive note was the entrances of the very young Matteo Cocchi (born in 2007) and Thomas Benernbruch (born in 2005), who found space in the late stages.

Munich (Germany) – 5 March 2024 – Harry Kane of FC Bayern Munich during the Uefa Champions League second leg round of 16 match between FC Bayern Munchen and SS Lazio.

In the quarterfinals, Bayern Munich of Kompany awaits

Waiting for Inter in the quarterfinals will be Bayern Munich of Vincent Kompany, who demolished Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16 with a double success and 5 goals scored between the first and second legs, but could have been many more. A team in great form and with a spectacular offensive potential, which will represent a very tough obstacle for the Nerazzurri.

Simone Inzaghi hopes to recover his key players to face the Bavarians in the best way and continue to nurture the Champions League dream. Inter has shown that they can compete with anyone and, with the right condition and determination, could play their cards even against a powerhouse like Bayern.