Down to the Wire: Inter and Bayern Clash in a San Siro Thriller

FC Bayern Munich were just one clinical finish away from extending their impressive away record against Inter Milan, but fate — and a spirited Italian side — had other plans. On a dramatic night at the iconic San Siro, it was Inter who emerged with a place in the Champions League semi-finals after a breathless 2-2 draw that saw them edge the tie on aggregate.

This is why football remains the world’s most unpredictable sport — logic rarely dictates outcomes. Despite significant injury concerns and a 2-1 first-leg defeat in Munich, many had written off Vincent Kompany’s side. But Bayern came out swinging, and their persistence paid off early in the second half when Harry Kane found space on the edge of the box, cut inside Federico Dimarco, and fired a precise low shot into the far corner.

Yet within ten minutes, the game turned on its head — and it all came down to set pieces. First, Lautaro Martínez rose above Joshua Kimmich to nod home the equaliser, igniting the San Siro. Then came an ironic twist: former Bayern defender Benjamin Pavard, now wearing Inter's colours, inadvertently redirected a corner into his old team's net. A poetic reversal — the man who helped Bayern lift the Champions League trophy in 2020 now scoring against them in the same competition.

Still, Bayern’s legendary resilience — that famous "German spirit" — refused to fade. On 76 minutes, Eric Dier pulled one back with an incredible header from a near-impossible angle after yet another corner, throwing the tie back into a state of chaos. The momentum was back with the visitors, and the pressure was relentless.

In the dying minutes, Inter clung on. Yann Sommer, so often the unsung hero, produced a spectacular save low to his right to deny Bayern a winner and send the home fans into raptures. The final whistle blew: 2–2 on the night, Inter advance 4–3 on aggregate.

2024-25 UEFA Champions League

Inter - Bayern 2:2 (0:0)
Goals: Kane, 52 (0:1); Martínez L., 58 (1:1); Pavard, 61 (2:1); Dier, 76 (2:2)

Inter: Sommer; Acerbi; Bastoni (Bisseck, 87); Darmian; Dimarco (Carlos Augusto, 72); Pavard; Mkhitaryan; Barella (Frattesi, 87); Çalhanoğlu; Martínez L. (Taremi, 81); Thuram M.
Bench: Di Gennaro; Martínez J-p; de Vrij; Cocchi; Asllani K.; Berenbruch; Zalewski; Arnautovic
Yellow Cards: Arnautovic 69; Darmian 90

Bayern: Urbig; Dier; Kim Min-jae (Guerreiro, 65); Stanisic; Goretzka (Pavlovic Al., 83); Kimmich; Laimer (Coman, 83); Muller; Olise; Sane L. (Gnabry, 65); Kane
Bench: Peretz Da.; Boey; Palhinha; Vidovic
Yellow Cards: Kim Min-jae 28; Dier 45