Substitute Marko Arnautovic emerged as the unlikely hero, scoring a dramatic late goal to secure a 1-0 victory for Inter Milan in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash against Atletico Madrid. The win gives last season’s runners-up a slender advantage heading into the return leg.
Redemption for Arnautovic! The Austrian striker, subbed in for the injured Thuram, finally found his moment after a string of missed chances. In the 79th minute, Lautaro Martinez’s shot was saved by Oblak, but the rebound fell kindly to Arnautovic, who squeezed it home to earn Inter a narrow victory.
This was only the second meeting between the two sides, with Atletico claiming the previous encounter 2-0 in the 2010 Super Cup. Despite Inter’s dominance and Atletico’s sporadic opportunities, the Nerazzurri’s resolute defense kept the visitors at bay, preventing them from registering a single shot on target.
Atletico’s best chance fell to Lino early on, but his curling effort sailed just wide. Inter also had their moments in the first half, with Martinez and Thuram finding Oblak or the Atletico defense in their way.
The second half saw Inter continue their attacking intent. Dimarco sent in a teasing cross for Arnautovic, but the Austrian slid in just a touch late and skied his effort over the bar from close range. However, Arnautovic wouldn’t be denied his goal later, securing a crucial win for Inter in the first leg of their Champions League tie.
Disappointment hung heavy in the air after the hour mark as Arnautovic, presented with a golden opportunity in front of goal, fluffed his lines yet again, sending the ball soaring over the bar. The groans from the home crowd were palpable, but little did they know, their villain was about to transform into their hero. In a dramatic turn of events, he later netted the winning goal, silencing the doubters and etching his name in the hearts of the faithful.
Meanwhile, the visitors weren’t without their chances. In the dying moments, Alvaro Morata agonisingly missed from close range, heading Angel Correa’s inviting cross wide. His despair mirrored the frustration of his team, as they fell short despite their valiant effort.
Inzaghi: We regret winning with just one goal
Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi:
Simeone: They took advantage of a mistake
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone:
“We had a good competition. We were getting close to our goal of stopping a little portion of the excellent onslaught that Inter is producing. Ultimately, they made solid chances to score goals by exploiting numerous instances in which we lost balls to counterattacks.”
More from Simeone regarding the goal: “The wonderful thing about football is that you may prepare whatever you want, but players are humans at the end of the day. Good things come with terrible ones, and today Inter exploited a mistake made by Ray Reinildo and Rodrigo de Paúl.
“We need to keep getting better, winning duels, running faster, and continuing to improve.” And positive things will follow from that.”
Atletico’s home record keeps tie in balance
Inter Milan extended their winning streak to nine games across all competitions in 2024, but were pushed to the limit by a resilient Atletico Madrid in their Champions League last-16 first leg. A late strike from substitute Marko Arnautovic secured a narrow 1-0 victory for the Nerazzurri, leaving the tie delicately poised heading into the return leg at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Inter dominated possession and territory throughout the encounter, but Atletico remained a constant threat on the counter. While the Nerazzurri created more clear-cut chances, Jan Oblak stood tall in the Atletico goal, denying Lautaro Martinez and Hakan Çalhanoğlu on multiple occasions.
Yannick Carrasco and Samuel Lino provided flashes of attacking intent for Atletico, but the visitors lacked the cutting edge in the final third. Their best opportunity fell to Alvaro Morata, who headed wide from close range in the dying minutes.
The game seemed destined for a goalless draw until Arnautovic, introduced after Marcus Thuram’s injury, emerged as the unlikely hero. He pounced on a rebound from Lautaro Martinez’s shot in the 79th minute, squeezing the ball past Oblak to spark jubilation in the San Siro.
Despite the defeat, Atletico can take solace in their defensive solidity and the fact that the tie remains within their grasp. They demonstrated their ability to frustrate Inter and create counter-attacking opportunities, which could prove crucial in the cauldron of the Wanda Metropolitano.