AC Milan 0-2 Inter Milan LIVE: Dzeko and Mkhitaryan strike for the dominant visitors in the first half
Follow Mail Sport’s live blog for the Champions League semi-final first leg clash between AC Milan and bitter rivals Inter Milan.
Host commentator
A debate on BT Sport over the decision to overrule Inter Milan’s penalty.
Owen Hargreaves believes there was enough contact to warrant Lisandro Martinez being awarded the penalty, while Steven Gerrard believes the Argentine went down too easily.
Gerrard suggested referee probably should not have overruled the penalty when consulting the monitor, with the penalty not seen as a clear and obvious error.
What a half for Inter Milan.
A huge job at the break for Stefano Pioli as he tries to get his side back into this.
Rade Krunic is the first player booked in the tie for dissent after complaining when Mkhitaryan was penalised for a foul on Brahim Diaz.
Mkhitaryan has actually been booked as well.
43mins: Pained looks on the faces of the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Co in the stands, amid the AC Milan’s stars who are unable to feature tonight.
A bright run from Saelemaekers into the Inter penalty area, but he eventually runs out of room with Dumfries coming across to snuff out the chance.
38mins: Inter have racked up 12 shots now during the first half, which is a complete reflection of their dominance.
AC Milan really need half-time to rethink this.
35mins: AC Milan have been given a lifeline but they are being torn apart at the moment.
Lisandro Martinez fires another effort over the crossbar, before Dimarco nearly sets up another chance.
A massive moment in this semi-final.
The referee has gone to the monitor and decided to overturn the penalty decision.
Yes, Martinez did seem to go down easily but there did seem there was a pull on Martinez.
A massive call in this tie.
Lisandro Martinez goes down in the box after turning Simon Kjaer and Tomori in the box.
There was a tug by Kjaer…
VAR are going to have a look.
Can AC Milan get a platform with a free kick out on the left?
No. Inter get the ball away, before the flag goes up for an offside against Giroud.
Some proper derby antics now as Bastoni is involved in a clash off the ball. A bit needless when you are two goals up…
23mins: Inter are going to threaten every time they have go forwards.
This time Dzeko is held up and the 37-year-old blazes a shot over the crossbar.
A huge task ahead for AC Milan here.
A different prospect their their previous knock-out matches where they led against both Tottenham and Napoli
Seven shots from Inter so far, while AC Milan are yet to have an effort on goal
AC Milan have been forced into a change with Ismael Bennacer unable to continue, with Junior Messias brought on.
Stefano Pioli must be rueing his luck.
14mins: This could almost have been tie over within the opening 15 minutes.
Calhanoglu smashes an effort from distance towards the AC Milan goal with the Turkish international effort crashing back off the woodwork.
What a moment that could have been for the former AC Milan player.
Maignan is then forced into saving low as AC Milan look to cling on.
12mins: AC Milan are frantically appealing for a penalty as two players go down in the penalty area, but there is nothing given.
Their problems could mount with Bennacer appearing to be struggling with a knock as well.
Inter take total control!
The AC Milan players and fans are still reeling from that opening Dzeko strike as Inter take a 2-0 lead.
Mkhitaryan races through on goal after being played in by Federico Dimarco.
The midfielder lashes beyond Mike Maignan to put Inter into dreamland in the early stages.
What a start for Inter!
Inter win a corner from from that free kick and it delivers the opening goal of the tie.
Its the veteran Edin Dzeko, who meets the corner first time and guides the ball superbly into the corner.
One chance, one goal!
6mins: Very frantic in the opening couple of minutes with possession continuing to change.
Inter will have the chance to load the box for the first time with a free kick.
3mins: The whistles begin as Inter look to settle in possession. A huge roar as the hosts win back the ball and move up the pitch for the first time.
A superb atmosphere in the San Siro.
After the anthem and a nice greeting between the two coaches, we are underway in this Milan derby.
Let’s hope it lives up to expectations.
As both teams make their way into the tunnel, a reminder of the two starting line-ups.
AC Milan: Maignan; Calabria, Tomori, Kjaer, Hernandez; Tonali, Krunic; Diaz, Bennacer, Saelemaekers; Giroud
Inter Milan: Onana; Darmian, Acerbi, Bastoni, Dumfries; Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martínez, Dzeko
Speaking of Maldini, the club legend turned technical director has just been speaking to CBS.
‘First of all, I played this derby two times in Champions League in the quarter-final and semi-final, and we won both of them,’ Maldini said.
‘For a guy that was born in Milan, and I was raised with an AC Milan shirt, it is the most important game of the season. When you play something like the Champions League, it is even higher.
‘The expectations weren’t one so high but we like to dream. This is what I say to my players, and the press in the beginning of the season.
‘We like to dream and this AC Milan has to dream.
‘We have to be brave, ready and smart enough to understand the moment. We have to make investments now to reach the top level.’
On Leao’s absence
‘Of course he is our best player. He was the best player last season. But it is what it is.
‘We have this kind of mentality that we don’t cry about injuries. Of course, for the regular match, it is going to be okay.’
The atmosphere is crackling with kick off around 15 minutes away now at the San Siro.
A host of legends from both sides have been spotted pitch side, confirming that there is only one ticket in town.
Along with the likes of Andriy Shevchenko, Samul Eto’o, Julio Cesar and Paolo Maldini, Serbian tennis superstar Novak Djokovic has also found himself pitchside.
Simone Inzaghi has said that Inter Milan will not ‘shy away from the challenge’ of facing their arch rivals.
Inter are viewed as the slight favourites for the tie with Inzaghi’s side coming into the first leg fresh from four consecutive wins in Serie A, as well as booking their place in the Coppa Italia final.
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Speaking of those two Champions League meetings between these great rivals, Mail Sport has taken a look back at the 2003 and 2005 clashes.
Milan overcame their rivals in the Derby della Madonnina on both occasions, but the matches were not without incident.
Andriy Shevchenko proved the hero with his ‘away’ goal winning the 2003 semi-final, while the 2005 clash was abandoned in the latter stages after Dida was struck by a flare thrown by the Inter fans.
Amid the chaos, Marco Materazzi walked over to Rui Costa and rested his arm on his shoulder, leading to an iconic photo.
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Henry’s fellow pundit Jamie Carragher has delved though the great history of this fixture, with both Milan clubs having also met twice in the existing Champions League format.
‘The only city in Europe that has two Champions League winning teams,’ Carragher told CBS.
‘Great history going back to the 60s when they both first won the European Cup.
‘The stakes are so high. Last time they met was 2005. 2003, also in the Champions League.
‘You rarely see that from one city with two huge football clubs. The stakes can’t be any higher.’
Speaking on CBS, Thierry Henry believes Leao’s absence will be a major blow for AC Milan this evening, with Stefano Pioli going to have to find another way to trouble Inter.
‘I think it is going to be a problem,’ Henry said.
‘I was watching the game against Lazio. He got injured trying to dribble and he was losing his balance. He tried to put his body up, he tried to recover the ball. He just couldn’t do it.
‘I knew he was going to be tight to play the game against Inter Milan. The way they like to play, he is the key, especially in transition, as we saw multiple times.
‘Saelemaekers is going to play on the left. He’s not exactly the same type of player. Diaz can be just as good as we saw in the transition against Naples in the Champions League.
‘Giroud is not going to do that. So, they have to find a way to be successful.’
Incidentally AC Milan are the hosts of the first leg while Inter will have the majority of supporters in the stadium in the second.
The AC Milan fans packed into the venue may be deflated a little by Leao missing out through injury.
They may feel slightly boosted though by reports the Portuguese winger has signed a new five-year deal to remain at the club.
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With AC Milan and Inter sharing the same stadium, the San Siro, Tom Collomosse looks at how this semi-final could be a final fling for the famous venue.
Both clubs could yet leave the venue, which may be knocked down, with plans for a new £1billion stadium.
As part of the construction plans, the new ground, likely to be nicknamed ‘The Cathedral’, will be built nearby the existing stadium.
You can read more here:
Edin Dzeko and Lisandro Martinez come in up front for Inter Milan for the first leg, with Romelu Lukaku named amongst the substitutes.
INTER MILAN: Onana; Darmian, Acerbi, Bastoni, Dumfries; Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martínez, Dzeko
Big team news in from AC Milan with Rafael Leao having not been deemed fit enough to feature after the Portuguese winger suffered an injury on the weekend.
Leao had a late fitness test but has been left out of the squad. A big, big blow that for AC Milan.
Manager Stefano Pioli was true to his word that if Leao was not fit enough to start, he would not be on the bench.
AC MILAN: Maignan; Calabria, Tomori, Kjaer, Hernandez; Tonali, Krunic; Diaz, Bennacer, Saelemaekers; Giroud
The bookmakers may have the winners of the semi-final between Real Madrid and Manchester City as the favourites for the Champions League, but it would be foolish to write off either of the two Milan clubs.
Seven-time winners AC Milan have already seen off Tottenham and newly crowned Italian champions Napoli in the knock-out stage.
Inter reached the last four by overcoming Portugal’s finest by beating Porto and Benfica, as they pursue a fourth European title.
Despite their pedigree in the Champions League, it has been a while since either of the Milan clubs were at this stage stage.
AC Milan are appearing in their first Champions League semi-final since 2007, while Inter are in the last four for the first time since 2010.
Both teams went on to lift the famous trophy in those years.
As the man who led Inter to the success in 2010 would say, these clubs have ‘football heritage’…
Welcome to Mail Sport’s live blog for the first leg of the Champions League semi-final between AC Milan and Inter Milan.
A cracking night in prospect with the first Milan derby in the Champions League since 2005, with the two Italian heavyweights looking to take a major step towards the final in Istanbul.
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