'One small step' left for Inzaghi's Inter Champions League final dream to come true

Inter Milan take a 2-0 lead into next week's semi-final second leg against city rivals AC Milan

Simone Inzaghi said Inter Milan's 2-0 win over AC Milan was 'hugely positive'. Getty Images

Inter Milan boss Simeone Inzaghi described his side's 2-0 win over neighbours AC Milan as "hugely positive" but that his players still had "one more step to go" to reach the Champions League final.

Inter blitzed their city rivals with two goals in the first 11 minutes through Edin Dzeko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan and could easily have put the tie to bed during a dominant first-half display.

Milan improved after the break but will be grateful to still be in reach of the 2010 champions after a disappointing performance in front of their supporters in the ‘home’ leg of the tie.

Inter need to avoid a collapse in the second leg of their all-Italian tie in order to reach a clash with either Real Madrid or Manchester City in Istanbul on June 10.

"We played a brilliant first half, but it's a tight scoreline for what we did out there," Inzaghi told reporters.

"Then in the second half we managed the game well. Apart from [Sandro] Tonali's shot [which hit the post] the boys did great in covering the whole pitch.

"It's a hugely positive night which gives us a lot of satisfaction but we're missing one more piece to attain a dream that we believed in since August.

"There are still seven days left. We know we've got one more small step to go."

Edin Dzeko of Inter Milan celebrates with teammates after scoring the team's opening goal in the Champions League semi-final first-leg match against AC Milan at San Siro on May 10, 2023. Getty

Nicolo Barella, left, celebrates with Edin Dzeko after Inter's opening goal. Getty

Henrikh Mkhitaryan scores Inter Milan's second goal. Getty

Inter Milan's Henrikh Mkhitaryan scores their second goal past AC Milan's Mike Maignan. Reuters

Henrikh Mkhitaryan celebrates after scoring Inter's second goal. Getty

Henrikh Mkhitaryan scores Inter's second goal. Getty

Edin Dzeko scores Inter's first goal. Getty

Edin Dzeko of Inter scores the opening goal. Getty

Referee Jesus Gil Manzano is confronted by AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan after he awarded a penalty to Inter for a foul on Lautaro Martinez, which he later overturned after a VAR review. Getty

Lautaro Martinez of Inter goes down in the box after a tackle by Simon Kjaer of AC Milan. The referee initially awarded a penalty but later overturned the decision after a VAR check. Getty

AC Milan's Junior Messias, right, and AC Milan's Olivier Giroud battle for the ball. AP

Sandro Tonali of AC Milan is challenged by Hakan Calhanoglu and Denzel Dumfries of Inter. Getty

Theo Hernandez of AC Milan takes a free kick as Alessandro Bastoni, Romelu Lukaku, Roberto Gagliardini and Denzel Dumfries of Inter jump in the wall. Getty

Milan could have star man Rafael Leao back for Tuesday's second leg after the Portugal winger missed Wednesday's match with a thigh injury.

Leao is crucial to Milan's attack and his absence made Inter's job that much easier, but Inzaghi isn't worried about the 23-year-old's potential return next week.

"We have played loads of derbies with Leao playing and without him playing," said Inzaghi.

"He's a great player who is very important for them but it won't change our plan for the match."

Milan coach Stefano Pioli said that his team still believe that they can turn the result around on Tuesday despite the two-goal deficit and having to play as the nominal away side at the San Siro.

"I know my players, I know we can do better ... next week's match will be psychologically very difficult for both teams because we have the chance to reach the final," Pioli told reporters.

"We have the chance to score some goals, put them under pressure and set right what's happened.

"It's difficult, it won't be a walk in the park. It will be difficult but we have to believe because football has taught us that you can overcome all sorts of obstacles."

Player ratings

AC MILAN RATINGS: Mike Maignan - 6. Let down by his defence for the Nerazzurri's two early goals but he came up with important saves to deny Dzeko and Brozovic in the second half. Reuters

Davide Calabria - 5. A physical mismatch that was punished when he was tasked with stopping Dzeko on the set piece that led to the away side’s opener. Could only find the side netting with an improvised flick when he was set up by Rade Krunic in the 29th minute. Getty

Simon Kjaer - 6. VAR came to his rescue after the referee had initially pointed to the spot for his foul on Martinez. He improved in the second half and came up with a number of vital blocks. AP

Fikayo Tomori - 5. Part of a Rossoneri defence that was all over the place. Beaten too easily by Dzeko in the 22nd minute. AP

Theo Hernandez - 5. Stopped Barella from troubling Maignan with a good block in the 37th minute. His inability to bomb forward from defence limited the home side’s attack. AP

Rade Krunic - 6. Talked his way into a yellow card on the stroke half time after screaming at the referee for failing to pick up an apparent elbow on him. Improved alongside Tonali in the second half and helped the home side take control of the midfield late in the game. AFP

Sandro Tonali - 7. Was too slow and gave Mkhitaryan too much space and time on the ball to double Nerazzurri's lead. Did well to skip past Mkhitaryan and slice the Rossoneri defence open with a precise pass to Messias in the 50th minute. Hit the post with a first-time effort in the 64th minute. Getty

Alexis Saelemaekers - 6. Easily the most dangerous of AC Milan’s attackers in the first half as his trickery caused problems. His lack of end product was a letdown. AP

Ismael Bennacer - N/A. Forced off early with a knock in the 19th minute. AFP

Brahim Diaz - 6. Clever play to get past Bastoni and find Giroud in the penalty area halfway into the first half. Had Onana worried for a second just after the restart but his shot whistled just wide of the post. Getty

Olivier Giroud - 5. Had a frustrating game due to a lack of service and close attention from the Nerazzurri defence. His biggest contribution was teeing up Tonali for his effort that came off the post. Getty

SUBS: Junior Messias (Bennacer, 19') - 6. Created a decent chance with a cross for Calabria in the 30th minute. He should have at least made Onana work when he was played through on goal in the 50th minute. Getty

Divock Origi (Saelemaekers, 60') - 6. Made an immediate impact by beating Damian at the far post and finding Diaz on the edge of the Inter penalty area. His final balls left a lot to be desired, though. Getty

Malick Thiaw (Kjaer, 59') - 6. Failed to get his desired touch when he was found on the edge of the Inter penalty area. Denied Damian at point-blank range with a block in the 75th minute. Getty

Pierre Kalulu (Calabria, 82') - N/A. Made little impact during his cameo. AP

Tommaso Pobega (Diaz, 82') - N/A. Put Onana to work with a decent effort in the 89th minute. EPA

INTER MILAN RATINGS: Andre Onana - 6. Had a quiet game in goal and was only called into action to make two routine saves. EPA

Matteo Damian - 8. Had a solid game as a third centre-back and impressed when he was switched to left wing-back. Denied a goal by a Messias block in the 74th minute. AP

Francesco Acerbi - 8. Saw his header blocked by Tonali in the sixth minute. Stayed close to Giroud and kept him quiet. AFP

Alessandro Bastoni - 8. Did well in defence and overlapped to good effect on a couple of occasions. Skipped past a couple of red and black shirts before playing Dzeko through on goal in the 52nd minute. AFP

Denzel Dumfries - 7. A typical Dumfries performance that involved him being a prominent presence in attack. Was only a whisker away from meeting Dimarco’s deflected effort in the 34th minute. Reuters

Nicolo Barella - 8. The engine room of Inter's midfield with his incredible work-rate. Couldn’t find the target when he was presented with a half-chance in the 14th minute. Getty

Hakan Calhanoglu - 8. Grabbed the assist for Dzeko’s opener with an inch-perfect corner kick. Struck the post with a first-time effort that left Maignan rooted to the spot in the 14th minute. AP

Henrikh Mkhitaryan - 9. Doubled the Nerazzurri's lead with a well-struck effort past Maignan in the 11th minute. Should have done better with his effort when Calhanoglu’s shot cannoned off the post into his path. Getty

Federico Dimarco - 8. Found Mkhitaryan with an incisive pass infield for Inter's second goal. His runs and cut backs into the Rossoneri penalty area caused problems all game. Reuters

Lautaro Martinez - 6. Went to ground far too easily when he only had Maignan to beat in the 30th minute. Had a couple of half chances but failed to trouble the AC Milan goalkeeper. EPA

Edin Dzeko - 9. Opened the scoring with a volley off the left foot from close range in the seventh minute. Had a chance to make it three in the 52nd minute but he failed to beat Maignan from close range. AP

SUBS: Marcelo Brozovic (Mkhitaryan, 63') - 7. Stung Maignan’s palm with a well-struck left-footed effort in the 69th minute. Tucked in well to help out in defence as the Rossoneri searched for a late goal. AFP

Romelu Lukaku (Dzeko, 70') - N/A. Put his strength to good use as he skipped past two Milan defenders to find Martinez in the penalty area. Getty

Stefan De Vrij (Dimarco, 71') - N/A. Worked hard after coming on to help Inter see out the game. Getty

Jaoquin Correa (Martinez, 78') - N/A. Effective in keeping possession as the away side tried to wind down the time in the second half. AP

Roberto Gagliardini (Calhanoglu, 78') - N/A. Didn’t have much of an influence after coming on. Getty