Dominant Inter Milan Put On A Show Vs Monaco To Secure Champions League Round Of Sixteen | OneFootball

Inter Milan put on a show against Monaco to book their place directly in the Champions League round of sixteen.

Today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInter1908, hail the “dominant” and “spectacular” performance from the Nerazzurri in the crunch clash.

Inter did not necessarily need three points against Monaco yesterday. A draw would have been enough to make mathematically certain of direct qualification for the knockouts.

However, a win allowed Inter to hold onto fourth place in the table.

Moreover, a victory was a statement of intent. The Nerazzurri are not hiding from the fact that they are among the favourites to win the Champions League this season.

And in that respect, it was not just about winning. The manner of the performance – the emphatic scoreline and fireworks on the pitch – also sent a message.

Inter Milan Put On A Show Vs Monaco To Book Place In Champions League Round Of 16

Inter Milan kept a clean sheet for the seventh time in Europe this season.

That means that apart from the last-gasp Bayer Leverkusen winner in December, the Nerazzurri have not conceded a single goal in the Champions League so far this season.

MILAN, ITALY – JANUARY 29: Stefan de Vrij of FC Internazionale acknowledges the fans at full-time following the team’s victory in the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD8 match between FC Internazionale Milano and AS Monaco at Stadio San Siro on January 29, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

That has enabled Inter to grind out some 1-0 wins along the way. This will undoubtedly be an important trait as the competition goes on.

But that’s not the kind of victory that the Nerazzurri secured yesterday evening.

Playing in front of their fans at the San Siro, Inter put on a show.

Monaco have shown that they can be a formidable side this season, domestically and in Europe. Their path to the round of sixteen playoffs has included wins over Barcelona and Aston Villa.

But Inter tore the Ligue 1 side to shreds within the first ten minutes yesterday.

The Nerazzurri’s high tempo, physically intense style of play caused panic in the Monaco defense just as it had done to Lecce over the weekend.

And the quality that Inter showed with their one-touch passing football was spectacular to watch.

Simone Inzaghi’s Inter Milan showed that they are capable of playing as well as any team in Europe. And their biggest rivals for the Champions League will have been taking note.