Inter Milan has secured a Champions League semi-final derby against AC Milan after an exhilarating 3-3 draw against Benfica at San Siro, ensuring a 5-3 aggregate victory over the Portuguese team. The Italian side had taken a 2-0 lead in the first leg in Lisbon, and that lead proved to be vital as Benfica fought back with two late goals to level the match.

Inter’s Nicolò Barella, Lautaro Martínez, and substitute Joaquín Correa scored the goals for the Italian team, while Fredrik Aursnes, Antonio Silva, and Petar Musa found the net for Benfica. Simone Inzaghi’s team will now face their cross-town rivals in the semi-finals next month, with the winner heading to the final in Istanbul. Follow your favourite team in the Champions League with the best betting odds from Empire777.

After the game, Martínez spoke about the significance of the upcoming derby, stating, “We all know what this game means, to play a Milan derby in the Champions League semi-finals. Happiness is the word, I’m so proud to represent this crest and this great club which is back to where it belongs.”

In the second leg, Benfica started well, but it was Barella who drew first blood for Inter, scoring a lovely curling finish into the corner. Martínez and Barella then combined smartly, with the latter finishing a well-worked move with a left-footed strike to extend the lead. Benfica managed to pull one back in the 38th minute through Aursnes, who met a cross from Rafa Silva to head home.

Inter regained the lead in the second half after Martínez scored from a cross by Federico Dimarco. Substitute Correa then put the game seemingly beyond doubt, bending a shot past Benfica’s keeper. However, Benfica refused to go down without a fight, scoring twice late in the game through Antonio Silva and Musa, but it was not enough to prevent their exit from the competition.

The Milan derby in the Champions League semi-finals is set to be a thrilling affair, with both teams eager to progress to the final. For Inter, the victory over Benfica is a significant boost as they look to go all the way and lift the coveted trophy. Get the latest updates from the Champions League only on Empire777 Sports.