AC Milan 0-2 Inter Milan: 'Worse than AC Milan wildest dreams' but will Inter have big regrets?

AC Milan created an intimidating ambiance arsenic they looked to get the borderline implicit their rivals Inter Milan

For 1 team, it was a nightmare start.

This had not been the plan. Before kick-off, the 'home' supporters - some legs volition beryllium played astatine San Siro - unfurled a elephantine show of a devil's face, on with the words: "Hell is empty, each the devils are here!"

But it was rapidly eden for Inter fans, acknowledgment to goals for Edin Dezko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

"Everything that could person gone incorrect for Milan has done," said erstwhile AC Milan goalkeeper Asmir Begovic astatine half-time.

"It is an implicit catastrophe and 1 successful their wildest dreams they could not person imagined."

But aft a big of missed Inter Milan chances and a arguable video adjunct referee decision, person AC Milan been handed a lifeline they didn't deserve?

'AC Milan had signifier fright'

A Milan derby is ever a memorable juncture but 1 successful a European contention is thing to savour.

Only doubly earlier Wednesday's Champions League semi-final archetypal limb had AC Milan faced their fierce metropolis rivals Inter connected the continental signifier and some sets of supporters were determined to marque the astir of it.

AC Milan, the designated location squad astatine the San Siro stadium the 2 sides share, had by acold the greater fig of fans inside. A partition of noise, reddish fume flares and ample banners made for an intimidating atmosphere.

But it was the distant broadside who came retired swinging. After racing into a two-goal lead, they besides deed the woodwork done Hakan Calhanoglu arsenic AC Milan were near exposed clip and clip again.

Inter adjacent had a first-half punishment awarded to them for a foul connected Lautaro Martinez earlier the determination was controversially overturned pursuing a VAR review.

Inter Milan brag Simone Inzaghi said: "We played a superb archetypal half, but it's a choky scoreline for what we did retired there.

"It's a hugely affirmative nighttime which gives america a batch of restitution but we're missing 1 much portion to attain a imagination that we believed successful since August."

Former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch said connected BT Sport: "I recovered it bizarre for AC Milan to beryllium truthful passive. Inter could person been retired of sight."

Ex-Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand added: "Inter came retired similar a clump of sprinters astatine the Olympics and AC Milan had signifier fright."

AC Milan were initially awarded a punishment erstwhile Lautaro Martinez went down nether a situation by Simon Kjaer, but it was overtuned aft a VAR review

'He threw himself down'

The large determination came successful the 31st minute. Inter were awarded a punishment arsenic Martinez went down wrong the container pursuing a Simon Kjaer challenge.

But erstwhile referee Jesus Gil Manzano was urged to cheque the pitchside show by VAR, the determination was overturned.

Manzano did not consciousness determination was capable interaction from Kjaer, who had grabbed Martinez's garment earlier helium went down.

"He perfectly tried to con the referee. He felt a manus connected his waist and threw himself down," said BBC Radio 5 Live pundit and erstwhile Chelsea winger Pat Nevin.

"I americium delighted the referee changed his mind."

But others were not truthful sure.

"I deliberation determination is interaction truthful I americium amazed they overturned it," erstwhile Manchester United and Bayern Munich midfielder Owen Hargreaves told BT Sport.

"It is simply a penalty. He gets clipped and had an limb astir him. If helium feels something, helium is going to spell down.

"Inter Milan were superb but with the punishment and missed chances, determination volition besides beryllium large regrets."

Ex-Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard added: "I deliberation helium kills himself by the reaction. I deliberation technically the punishment should person stood. The ref looks and thinks the interaction is not capable for the reaction. He goes to the surface and sees it is minimal contact."

Edin Dzeko has scored 4 goals successful this season's Champions League

'A world-class striker'

Inzaghi enactment his religion successful acquisition and it paid disconnected arsenic 37-year-old Dzeko got the opener aft 8 minutes earlier 34-year-old Mkhitaryan got the second.

It was the archetypal clip 2 players aged 34 oregon supra person scored for a squad successful a Champions League knockout match.

"Dzeko is simply a world-class player," said Begovic, who played alongside Dzeko for Bosnia-Herzegovina. "It is nary astonishment to maine helium is doing this, having known him for 15 years. He has hold-up play, technique, possibly lacking a spot of pace.

"He is dedicated to the game, disciplined, looks aft himself immaculately. He leads the beforehand enactment perfectly."

Only 1 squad successful Champions League semi-final past person won the archetypal limb by 2 oregon much goals and not reached the last - Barcelona, who mislaid a 3-0 pb against Liverpool successful 2018-19.

But, contempt the two-goal advantage, Inter cognize their spot successful a archetypal Champions League last since 2010 is not booked yet.