Inter Milan achieved a remarkable feat on Tuesday night as they became the first side in over a decade to qualify for the Champions League quarter-finals, surviving a late barrage of pressure from Porto to secure a 0-0 draw and go through 1-0 on aggregate.
It was a tense night at the sold-out Dragao stadium as the Portuguese champions attempted to overturn the narrow deficit from the first leg in Italy. Despite Porto’s best efforts, Inter held on to the 1-0 lead and booked their place in the last eight of Europe’s premier club competition.
Romelu Lukaku’s goal four minutes from the time It turned out that the first leg made a difference. Between the sides as it was enough to secure Inter’s passage to the quarter-finals.
The Italian side showed great discipline and composure in defense, not allowing the home side to create clear-cut chances. The Portuguese side had struck the woodwork twice within 30 seconds before Pepe’s dismissal, but Inter held firm and held on to their slender advantage.
Inter’s passage to the last eight marks the first time in 11 years that the club had reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League, having last done so in 2010-11 when Schalke knocked them out. The achievement is all the more impressive, given the strength of the competition in this season’s tournament.
The Italian giants have also kept three consecutive clean sheets in Champions League knockout games for the first time since April 2010, while Porto has been eliminated from seven of their eight two-legged Champions League knockout ties after losing the first leg, only progressing from this position in 2018-19 against Roma.
Inter Milan’s achievement is a tribute to their defensive organization, discipline, and ability to stay firm under pressure. With their improved defense and Romelu Lukaku in attack, the Italian side will fancy their chances of making it to the semi-finals.