UEFA Champions League 2022-23: Decoding Inter's road to the final
Inter will be aiming to make the most of the UEFA Champions League 2022-23 final, having reached this stage for the first time since 2010 when they won the crown. Inter came out from a difficult group and then saw off three tricky sides in Porto, Benfica, and AC Milan to reach the final where they will face favorites Manchester City. Here's more.
How did Inter fare in the group stage?
Inter were placed alongside Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and Viktoria Plzen in Group C. Inter managed to finish second behind Bayern, who had a 100% win record. With three wins, one draw, and two defeats, Inter finished with 10 points above Barcelona (7) to progress further. Results: Inter 0-2 Bayern, Plzen 0-2 Inter, Inter 1-0 Barcelona, Barcelona 3-3 Inter, Inter 4-0 Plzen, Bayern 2-0 Inter.
Inter's performance in the knockout stages
In the knockout stages, Inter opened their campaign against Portuguese heavyweights Porto and claimed a 1-0 win at home. In the second leg of their round of 16 clash, Inter held on for a 0-0 draw. In the quarters, Inter beat Benfica 2-0 away before seeing off a 3-3 draw at home. Inter outclassed Milan in the semis, winning 3-0 on aggregate.
Inter have kept eight clean sheets
Out of 12 games this season, Inter have managed to keep eight clean sheets, besides conceding 10 goals. Inter have scored 19 goals so far with two 3-3 draws in the mix, besides a 4-0 drubbing of Plzen.
Key performers for Inter
Edin Dzeko has scored four goals for Inter with Lautaro Martinez following suit with three. Federico Dimarco leads the assists chart with five. Martinez and Alessandro Bastoni have three assists under their belt.
Inter have reached a sixth European Cup/Champions League final
Inter have reached their sixth European Cup/Champions League final, winning three honors (1964, 1965, and 2010). Besides, Inter are a two-time runner-up in 1967 and 1972 respectively. As mentioned earlier, Inter have reached their maiden Champions League final since 2010 when they beat Bayern Munich under then manager Jose Mourinho.
