Inter Milan will take a slender advantage into their Champions League last-16 second leg against Atletico Madrid after Marko Arnautovic secured a 1-0 win at the San Siro.
Simone Inzaghi’s side dominated but were frustrated by Jan Oblak for most of the night as Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez were both guilty of missing chances in a cagey affair.
Atletico failed to register a shot on target, but looked to be heading for a goalless draw after substitute Arnautovic’s glaring miss midway through the second period.
But the former West Ham forward atoned for that error by giving Inter a narrow lead to take to Madrid next month. He kept his composure to score from a narrow angle after Oblak saved Martinez’s initial effort (79).
Atletico’s home record keeps tie in balance
Arnautovic reacts after missing an earlier chance
Sky Sports’ Ben Grounds:
It is now nine wins in as many games in all competitions in 2024 for Inter Milan – but they were made to sweat for this latest one.
Simeone’s side will be content to return to Madrid with the tie in the balance. His side were second best throughout this first leg, and were indebted to Oblak for keeping Inter at bay until Arnautovic’s intervention 11 minutes from time.
For the Italians, it is now nine clean sheets in their last 14 Champions League games, and they weren’t troubled at all by Antoine Griezmann and co.
Atletico have demonstrated they are supremely difficult to beat on home soil, and it is still all to play for.
Mkhitaryan: We’ll have to play to win again
Lautaro Martinez and Stefan Savic challenge for the ball
Inter Milan midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan:
“We have another match to play; 1-0 counts for little even if it was nice to win. We created as much as possible to try to score goals but we knew that we were playing against a strong team who play and defend well.
“We go to Madrid with the lead but we will have to play to win again, as if we hadn’t scored tonight. We have to do our best to continue last year’s path; we want to reach the final again.”
Imperious Inter – Opta stats
Arnautovic broke the deadlock in the second half
- Inter Milan have won seven of their last nine UEFA Champions League games on home soil (D2), as many victories as they picked up in their previous 21 (D5 L9).
- Atletico Madrid have lost each of their last two knockout clashes with Italian sides in European competition, also losing to Juventus in March 2019 in the UEFA Champions League (0-3), after winning each of the five before that.
- Inter Milan are the first Serie A side to win each of their first nine games of a calendar year in all competitions since Juventus in 2016 (10).
- Atletico Madrid failed to direct a single shot on target in a UEFA Champions League game for the first time since their quarter-final first leg clash with Manchester City in April 2022.
What’s next?
The return leg will be on March 13 at the Wanda Metropolitano, kicking off at 8pm.
