Pavard Goal Sends Inter Milan Past Bayern Munich \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Benjamin Pavard scored his first goal for Inter Milan against former club Bayern Munich, helping secure a 2-2 draw and a 4-3 aggregate victory in the Champions League quarterfinals. Lautaro Martínez and Pavard turned the game around after Harry Kane had leveled. Inter now prepares to face Barcelona in the semifinals.
Quick Looks
- Inter drew 2-2 with Bayern Munich, advancing 4-3 on aggregate.
- Benjamin Pavard scored his first Inter goal against his former club.
- Lautaro Martínez added to his all-time Inter UCL scoring record.
- Harry Kane and Eric Dier netted for Bayern in the return leg.
- Inter will meet Barcelona in the semifinals, a repeat of 2010’s historic tie.
- Bayern coach Vincent Kompany expressed “regret” over missed chances across both legs.
- Rain and strong winds at San Siro impacted the rhythm and passing.
- Inter remains in contention for a treble under Simone Inzaghi.
- The other semifinal features Paris Saint-Germain vs. Arsenal.
Deep Look
On a rain-lashed night at the legendary San Siro, Inter Milan booked their ticket to the UEFA Champions League semifinals after a pulsating 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich — a result that secured a 4-3 aggregate victory and reaffirmed their status as serious contenders for European glory.
In a match filled with tension, emotional storylines, and fierce tactical battles, it was Benjamin Pavard who etched his name into Inter lore. Scoring his first goal for the club — and doing so against the team he left less than a year ago — Pavard became both hero and symbol of Inter’s growing continental confidence. The French defender’s powerful header in the 63rd minute proved pivotal, giving Inter the edge they needed in a matchup that teetered on a knife’s edge until the final whistle.
“It was an emotional goal,” Pavard said post-match. “Scoring your first for a new club is always special. Scoring it at the San Siro, in the Champions League, against your former team — it’s something I’ll never forget.”
A Match of Two Halves and Shifting Momentum
From the start, Bayern Munich, down 2-1 from the first leg at home, came out swinging. The weather conditions — heavy wind and rain — created unpredictability, leading to loose passes and frantic clearances in the early stages. But the German giants settled first, with Michael Olise nearly opening the scoring before being denied by an alert Pavard and a perfectly timed sliding challenge by Alessandro Bastoni.
Despite the early pressure, Inter gradually asserted themselves, slowing the tempo and showing the composure of a team confident in their aggregate advantage. Hakan Çalhanoğlu nearly stunned Bayern with a long-range effort in the 33rd minute that flew inches wide. Yet it was Bayern who finally cracked the match open.
Seven minutes after the break, Inter failed to properly clear their lines. Leon Goretzka gathered the loose ball and threaded a pass to Harry Kane. The England captain, cool under pressure, slipped the ball past Federico Dimarco and into the bottom corner, leveling the quarterfinal 3-3 on aggregate and igniting hopes of a famous Bayern comeback.
However, Inter showed resilience in abundance — a quality that has defined their Champions League run this season. Just seven minutes later, Lautaro Martínez scored his 11th Champions League goal, extending his record as Inter’s top scorer in the competition. The Argentina international miscontrolled the ball from a corner but instinctively reacted to bundle it into the bottom left corner, restoring Inter’s advantage.
Three minutes later, the tide turned fully in Inter’s favor. Another corner, another moment of magic — this time from Pavard. Rising high above the Bayern defense, he powered a header into the back of the net to give Inter a 2-1 lead on the night and a commanding 4-3 lead on aggregate.
Bayern Fights Back — But Not Enough
To their credit, Bayern refused to go quietly. Eric Dier gave the visitors a lifeline in the 76th minute, heading home from an improbable angle after Serge Gnabry whipped in a cross from the left. The ball looped bizarrely over Yann Sommer and nestled into the far corner, setting up a chaotic final 15 minutes where Inter had to dig deep.
Bayern pressed with desperation, throwing men forward and peppering the Inter box with crosses. Yet the Italian side held firm, buoyed by the roar of over 70,000 fans and the leadership of Simone Inzaghi on the touchline. When the whistle finally blew, the San Siro erupted — Inter were through to their first Champions League semifinal since 2010, the year they famously lifted the trophy as part of a historic treble under José Mourinho.
The Mourinho Parallel and Treble Dreams
The parallels to that 2009–10 season are hard to ignore. Back then, Inter eliminated Barcelona in the semifinals on their way to beating Bayern Munich in the final. Now, they’ve beaten Bayern in the quarterfinals and are set to face Barcelona once again — a poetic full-circle moment for a club that has spent the past decade chasing European relevance.
Simone Inzaghi has quietly built a squad that blends experience, technical quality, and tactical flexibility. Lautaro Martínez leads the line with authority, Çalhanoğlu orchestrates play from deep, and the defensive trio of Bastoni, Pavard, and Matteo Darmian has proven incredibly difficult to break down. Add in the reliable presence of goalkeeper Yann Sommer and a midfield engine room capable of controlling tempo, and it’s easy to see why Inter fans are dreaming of Istanbul.
Pavard’s impact — both defensively and with his game-changing goal — epitomizes Inter’s evolution under Inzaghi. Once a team reliant on individual brilliance, they now thrive on cohesion, structure, and timely contributions across the pitch.
Bayern Left to Reflect
For Bayern, it was a night of bitter disappointment. Coach Vincent Kompany, in his first major European campaign, lamented the fine margins that denied his side a place in the final four. “We did enough to win both legs,” he said post-match. “We had our chances. But in this competition, you must take them. We didn’t.”
Bayern’s exit also means the dream of winning the Champions League final in their own Allianz Arena — the host stadium for the May 31 final — is over. Kompany will now have to regroup and refocus his side as they aim to reclaim the Bundesliga title and build toward next season.
Semifinal Showdowns Set
Inter Milan will now prepare for a blockbuster semifinal clash against Barcelona — a fixture loaded with history and high stakes. On the other side of the bracket, Arsenal, fresh off a commanding 5-1 aggregate win over Real Madrid, will face Paris Saint-Germain, who are also chasing their first-ever Champions League title.
With Inter’s path echoing the legacy of their past and their performances steeped in belief, the Nerazzurri are no longer underdogs — they are legitimate contenders. Pavard’s goal may have been the breakthrough moment, but it’s the collective strength and unyielding spirit of this Inter team that might just carry them all the way.
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