And so this city is black and blue. Fitting colours, given the beating Inter have handed down to their submissive rivals en route to the final. Milan – battered, bruised and their own colours lowered – were a sorry sight at this stage of the world’s best club competition.
This was not so much Catenaccio from Simone Inzaghi’s winners, that grand old art of Italian defending, but more so the vandalism of an opponent who were not good enough to score.
As for Inter, they did what they had to and, holding a 2-0 lead from the first leg, made sure of the win when Lautaro Martinez swept the only goal 16 minutes from time. That, however, is the extent of the plaudits, given how poor Milan were.
For here at a smouldering San Siro, beneath an explosion of flares and firecrackers, was a Champions League semi-final in name and atmosphere only. The rising smoke felt like a symbol of Milan’s forlorn hopes of ever making it beyond this tie. If only the flicker of flames in the stands burned as brightly beneath the shirts of those in red and black. They needed at least two goals but could not even manage two shots on target.
UEFA, you feel, might as well present the trophy at tonight’s second semi in Manchester. This unexpected pairing was never likely to mark the rebirth of Italian football. It was more like a party for two old boys in a retirement home. You can dress it up as experience, but Inter don’t have the skill nor stamina to beat either of Manchester City or Real Madrid.
Lautaro Martinez’s second-half strike sealed Inter Milan’s place in the Champions League final for the first time since 2010
The Inter faithful can look forward to their first Champions League final appearance since they won the competition in 2010
Fikayo Tomori (left) Olivier Giroud (centre) and the AC Milan players looked dejected after being well beaten
In contrast, there were jubilant scenes for Inter as the players celebrated with their fans at reaching the final
We should still applaud them for getting this far and within the confines of this unsightly tie – there were more fouls than tackles – they were deserved victors. But overcoming Milan is no reliable form guide.
Milan boss Stefano Pioli said: ‘When you get to these levels, either you play two great games or you go out. We couldn’t raise the bar.’
In the hours before kick-off, the centre of Milan was a Nerazzurri stronghold. It was as if the first leg had given them territorial rights, if not yet bragging.
Pizza del Duomo swayed, bounced and chimed to the sound of Inter’s songbook, drowning the omnipresent din of sirens. There was no trouble, more so the traffic and masses of Inter fans that needed policing. Maybe it was that the other half of this derby divide were inside the cathedral. Goodness, they needed to say their prayers after the first leg.
At least God’s healing hands had reached out and touched the thigh of Rafael Leao. The forward’s absence, claimed Cyclopean followers of Milan, was the reason for their more metaphoric no-show six days previous.
Nothing, then, to do with defenders who failed to execute the basics of kick, tackle and mark. It wasn’t so much a welcome mat as a fully carpeted piazza they presented for Inter’s attack to stride on through last week.
That early collapse – Inter scored their two goals inside 11 minutes – had been the subject of much scrutiny in the days since.
The obsessive, rolling coverage across all mediums captured the soap opera drama that surrounded this fixture. Not that the first episode finished on a cliff-hanger. If felt more like Milan had already fallen from it coming into this game.
Milan huffed and puffed for 74 minutes of the second leg, but they failed to find the goal that would spark a comeback
Simone Inzaghi was desperate to see his side keep hold of their clean sheet in the tie and see themselves into the final
Martinez then produced a cool finish from close range with 16 minutes remaining to complete the victory for Inter
His strike sealed a 3-0 aggregate win for Inzaghi’s men and booked their place in next month’s Istanbul showpiece
The Argentine celebrated his decisive goal with a jubilant Inter crowd at the San Siro, where they served as hosts on the night
The plot twist was Leao, Milan’s daring protagonist. The pink sheets of the Italian press dedicated several pages to the 23-year-old’s return yesterday. He, though, needed to find just as many words if he was going to rewrite this script. Not likely.
The Portuguese was fortunate to avoid a book for a heavy touch and foul inside five minutes, an error betraying his lack of fitness. Perhaps God had soothed the wrong thigh. He huffed and puffed but blew nothing down.
It was like a game of chess at times – not tactically intriguing, just a little dull and lacking in incident. Remove the brilliant noise and colour that exists off the pitch and what remains on it is a monochrome contest low on quality.
But at least the winning goal shone a more favourable light on the occasion. Substitute Romelu Lukaku rolled a pass to Martinez, who escaped his minder and finished low across the goalkeeper.
Milan were never coming back from that here. In truth, they were beaten before a ball had been kicked.
Inter leapt in celebration in front of their supporters and will now face either Manchester City or Real Madrid
It will be devastating for AC Milan not only that they lost to their rivals but that they barely threw a punch
