Inter back in UEFA Champions League for first time since 2012
Inter Milan is back in the Champions League.
The Nerazzurri trailed 2-1 with 13 minutes left but fought back to beat 10-man Lazio 3-2 and secure a spot in Europe’s premier club competition for the first time since 2012, following Matias Vecino’s late header.
“The Champions League has been our aim since the beginning of the season,” Inter captain Mauro Icardi said. “We were aware of our strength from the start and finally we did it - after a crazy match.”
Inter moved fourth with the same number of points as Lazio but with a better head-to-head record. Champion Juventus, Napoli and Roma are the other Italian teams to qualify for the Champions League.
Several Lazio players were in tears after the final whistle on Sunday evening.
“We should have probably sealed the Champions League place earlier and not needed to do this in this last match,” Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi said.
“Evidently it was destiny. A night like this will remain inside us for a long time.”
This was the first year Italy had four spots in the Champions League and the final berth came down to the last match of the season, with Lazio leading Inter by three points.
It was a thrilling match at a sold-out Stadio Olimpico.
When it was 2-1 for Lazio, Inter was awarded a penalty in the 72nd for a handball by Milinkovic-Savic but the referee changed his mind after seeing the incident again on video review.
The visitors did get a penalty shortly after when Stefan de Vrij, who is set to join Inter next month, fouled Mauro Icardi.
“If someone else had done that foul, nothing would have changed, it was an accident,” Inzaghi said. “I would play him again 100 times, he had a great match.”
Icardi converted to take his tally to 29 for the season, level with Lazio forward Ciro Immobile at the top of the goalscoring charts.
Lulic was sent off following a second yellow card and the turnaround was complete when Vecino headed in a corner nine minutes from time - it proved to be Inter’s winner.