Inter Milan take first-leg lead over Bayern on late Frattesi goal
Bayern Munich vs Inter Milan
Inter Milan delivered a dramatic and exhilarating performance on Tuesday night, securing a 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal clash, thanks to a last-gasp 88th-minute winner from substitute Davide Frattesi. The match, played at Bayern’s iconic Allianz Arena, showcased the resilience and tactical acumen of the Italian side as they overcame a Bayern team desperate to maintain their formidable home record in European competition. Lautaro Martínez had given Inter the lead in the first half with a clinical finish, capitalizing on a rare moment of Bayern vulnerability shortly after Harry Kane squandered a golden opportunity for the hosts. Kane, Bayern’s talismanic England striker, struck the woodwork in a moment that left him visibly stunned, clutching his face in disbelief—an uncharacteristic miss that shifted the momentum toward Inter. The game appeared destined for a draw after Thomas Müller, Bayern’s veteran substitute who had recently announced his departure from the club at season’s end, equalized with just five minutes remaining. However, Frattesi’s late heroics ensured that Inter would leave Munich with a slender but vital advantage, snapping Bayern’s remarkable 22-match unbeaten streak at home in Europe and keeping alive Inter’s dream of returning to the Allianz Arena for the Champions League final on May 31. The second leg at the San Siro next Wednesday now looms as a defining moment, with the winner set to face either Barcelona or Borussia Dortmund in the semifinals, adding further intrigue to an already captivating tie.
The match began with Bayern asserting their usual dominance on home soil, and it was Kane who first threatened to break the deadlock in the 14th minute. The England captain found himself in a promising position, but his unusually tame header lacked the venom needed to trouble Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer, who comfortably gathered the effort. Bayern’s pressure continued to build, and in the 26th minute, the home crowd held its breath as Kane received the ball on the left side of the penalty area, completely unmarked and with time to pick his spot. The Bayern faithful were already poised to celebrate, but their jubilation turned to gasps of disbelief as Kane’s curling shot agonizingly struck the outside of the far post. The striker dropped to his knees, hands cradling his face, as the missed opportunity reverberated around the stadium. Inter, sensing their chance to punish Bayern’s profligacy, seized the initiative just ten minutes later with a beautifully constructed move orchestrated by their Argentine star, Lautaro Martínez. The World Cup winner collected the ball in the center circle and ignited the attack by releasing Carlos Augusto down the left flank. Augusto’s pinpoint cross found Marcus Thuram, who cleverly flicked the ball backward to an onrushing Lautaro. With Bayern’s defense caught flat-footed, Lautaro unleashed a thunderous strike into the roof of the net, marking his sixth goal in his last four Champions League outings and sending the traveling Inter supporters into raptures. The goal underscored Inter’s growing confidence on the European stage and their ability to exploit even the slightest lapse from a powerhouse like Bayern.
The second half unfolded as a tense and tactical battle, with both teams trading chances in a contest that seemed poised on a knife-edge. Bayern, spurred on by their raucous home support, gradually turned up the intensity as the clock ticked down, laying siege to Inter’s resolute defense. Their persistence paid dividends in the 85th minute when Konrad Laimer delivered a teasing cross to the back post, bypassing Inter’s defenders. Thomas Müller, the departing Bayern legend, was on hand to meet the ball, prodding it home from just three yards out to spark wild celebrations among the Munich faithful. The equalizer seemed to write a fitting chapter in Müller’s Bayern story—a gritty fightback befitting his legacy—and for a fleeting moment, it appeared the hosts might even snatch a late victory. However, their aggressive push for a winner left gaps at the back, and Inter’s midfield maestro Nicolò Barella was quick to pounce. Spotting the run of Carlos Augusto, Barella played a perfectly weighted pass that allowed the Brazilian to surge into the penalty area. Augusto’s low, driven cross found Frattesi, who had only been on the pitch for a matter of minutes, and the substitute coolly redirected the ball past Bayern’s helpless goalkeeper to restore Inter’s lead in the 88th minute. The goal silenced the Allianz Arena and shifted the tie’s momentum firmly in Inter’s favor, leaving Bayern to rue their earlier missed opportunities and defensive lapses in the closing stages.
This result carries significant weight for both clubs, steeped as it is in historical context and current ambition. Inter’s victory marked a reversal of fortunes from their last two encounters with Bayern in the 2022-23 Champions League group stage, where they suffered consecutive 2-0 defeats en route to reaching the final that season. The Nerazzurri, who famously defeated Bayern in the 2010 final to secure a historic treble of the Champions League, Serie A, and Italian Cup, now harbor hopes of replicating that golden era. Bayern, meanwhile, were hampered by a mounting injury crisis, with key attacking midfielder Jamal Musiala sidelined after tearing his hamstring the previous weekend, joining an already lengthy absentee list. Inter, too, were without several players, but their squad depth and determination shone through in Munich. The match also highlighted the contrasting fortunes of the teams’ star strikers: while Kane’s wastefulness proved costly for Bayern, Lautaro’s ruthless finishing underscored his importance to Inter’s European campaign. As Bayern’s Thomas Müller reflected post-match, “Tonight wasn’t a walk in the park and we were not expecting one. The chances converted were the key. We had a fair few chances, but unfortunately the last counter makes it 2-1. Otherwise it would be 1-1, a good fightback and the Müller story would have played out.” His words captured the fine margins that defined the game—a contest where Bayern’s resilience was ultimately undone by Inter’s clinical edge.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, Arsenal sent shockwaves through the competition with a commanding 3-0 dismantling of Real Madrid, positioning the Gunners on the brink of a semifinal showdown with either Aston Villa or Paris Saint-Germain. The night’s results underscored the unpredictability of this season’s Champions League, with Inter and Arsenal emerging as serious contenders. For Inter, the focus now shifts to the return leg at the San Siro, where they will look to defend their narrow lead against a Bayern side desperate to overturn the deficit. The stakes could not be higher, with a semifinal berth against either Barcelona or Borussia Dortmund awaiting the victor. Bayern’s pedigree in European competition ensures they remain a formidable threat, but Inter’s blend of attacking flair, defensive solidity, and late-game heroics suggests they are more than capable of finishing the job on home soil. The Nerazzurri faithful will be dreaming of a return to the Allianz Arena for the final, a prospect that seemed distant after their group-stage struggles against Bayern two seasons ago but now feels tantalizingly within reach. As the second leg approaches, both teams will regroup and recalibrate, knowing that every moment, every chance, and every decision could prove decisive in their quest for Champions League glory.
