Champions League | The Nerazzurri's charge towards the final | OneFootball

Seasons that read like novels. Chapters written with sacrifice, greatness and grit that becomes almost mythical. There are nights that don't end when the stadium lights go out, that remain lit in memories, in stories, in voices that are still trembling with emotions. Teams that become greater than themselves: they become the symbol, the embodiment, the pride of a whole community.

That is what Inter are. A choir that can sing every note on the great European stage. From the initial composure to poetic football, from the mental strength to the intense joy, every step on the way is a show on intent. Not only a show of strength, but of a clear identity. With Simone Inzaghi at the helm, with Lautaro as the talisman, with Thuram providing the spark, with Calhanoglu playing the director, with Sommer saving the day, San Siro can only get louder and louder.

The journey that took Inter to the Champions League final in Munich started slow, but grew to become something bigger than all of us. Let us take a look.

LEAGUE PHASE

Inter had a great run in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League 2024/25, finishing fourth with 19 points and securing a spot in the Round of 16. Our debut was solid: a 0-0 draw away against Manchester City, a very intense game in which Sommer shined bright and the counterattacks were dangerous. Then, first blood at San Siro: a 4-0 win against Red Star, a shining performance delivered by team effort. After that, our patience and mental strength were rewarded at Bern, with Thuram clinching the win at the 92nd minute. The same mentality shown through against Arsenal, in a 1-0 win decided by Calhanoglu's penalty and a defensive masterclass.

Our fifth clean sheet came against Leipzig, a narrow victory from Lukeba's own goal, Dimarco's free kick and great saves from Sommer. We had our first defeat in Germany, 1-0 against Bayer Leverkusen, but that did not crush our morale. At Prague, Lautaro scored a gem of a goal to secure the three points against Sparta, and in the decisive match against Monaco, our captain once again took control with a hat trick. That earned us the spot in the Round of 16 and made his tally of Champions League goals go up to 17, equalling Sandro Mazzola's record. With six wins, one draw and one defeat in eight games, Inter demonstrated form, hunger, and that we belong to the big European stage.

ROUND OF 16

Inter overcame Feyenoord in the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League with authority, maturity, and class. A double victory that sent us through to the quarter-finals. On the first leg, at a lively De Kuip stadium that was also painted black and blue by our fans, Inzaghi's squad demonstrated their character with clinical execution. Despite the many unavailable players, Inter dominated against the Dutch team with the help of the Thuram-Lautaro duo: the Frenchman opened the scoreline, and our Captain doubled our lead with his historic 18th goal in the Champions League, becoming the top-scoring Nerazzurri player in the competition ahead of Mazzola. A missed penalty by Zielinski left the team wanting more, but the 2-0 win earned us a deserved lead going into the second leg.

It was more of the same at San Siro. Inter started strong, cutting through Feyenoord's defence and scoring after just 8 minutes: Thuram with a right-footer that was reminiscent of his goal in the Derby of September 2023. It was impossible to contain the No.9, who was close to doubling our lead and even hit the crossbar after a stunning play. The 2-0 lead came after half time, thanks to Calhanoglu's penalty, and the Dutch got one back despite our performance on the pitch. Inter thus advanced to the quarter-finals with a resounding 4-1 aggregate victory, showing our potential in this edition of the Champions League.

QUARTER-FINALS

Inter wrote another memorable page in the history of their European adventures, eliminating Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals with two extraordinary performances, showing great heart, quality, and grit. In the first leg at the Allianz Arena, the Nerazzurri immediately showed they were up to the challenge: compact, focused and displaying the spirit of a great team. The 2-1 final score was the result of a match played with intelligence and courage. The first goal was a gem: Carlos Augusto's move down the left, Thuram's brilliant backheel and Lautaro's first-time finish made it 1-0. Bayern equalised through Muller, but Inter still had energy and ideas in the final stages: Barella created the chance, Carlos was again the protagonist, and Frattesi cut in at the near post to score the winning goal. It was a night to remember at the Bavarian fortress, giving Inter a valuable advantage ahead of the return leg.

At San Siro, in the rain and an electric atmosphere, Inter completed the job. After Bayern took the lead through Kane, the stadium erupted between the 58th and 61st minutes: first Lautaro, who scored his 150th goal in a Nerazzurri shirt to equalise, then Pavard with an imperious header to put his side ahead. Bayern pulled one back through Dier, but Inter held on until the end with a heroic performance full of sacrifice and determination, driven on by the incessant singing of a San Siro in frenzy. Inter reached the Champions League semi-finals for the second time in the last three seasons.

SEMI-FINALS

An incredible saga that we will talk about for many years to come. The first leg was a spectacular and unpredictable match, with six goals in 90 minutes. Inter started really strong with Thuram's masterstroke inside 30 seconds, followed by Dumfries' acrobatics to make it 0-2. However, Barcelona reacted through the talented Yamal, the scorer of a magic goal before being denied by the crossbar from another incredible effort. The Catalans found an equaliser with Torres' well-crafted strike. After the break, Dumfries put Inter ahead once again, but Raphinha then brought it level with his deflected strike. An incredible game, full of chances, near goals and VAR drama.

In the return leg, Lautaro scored right away and lit up San Siro before Calhangolu doubled the lead from the spot: Inter ahead 2-0. But after the break, Barcelona stepped up and got back in it through Garcia and Olmo: 2-2 in just six minutes. In the 88th minute, Raphinha made it 2-3 and it seemed over, but in the 93rd minute, Acerbi equalised to take the game to extra time. Frattesi then made it 4-3 after a fantastic team move. Sommer then became the hero, keeping our lead intact on a number of occasions, including an exceptional flying stop to deny Yamal. In the end, Inter held out and flew into the final after an epic, hard-fought and legendary tie.