Dortmund – Inter Milan: Dimarco’s Magic and Diouf’s Late Strike Seal Champions League Away Win (0-2)

The Signal Iduna Park played host to a high-stakes Champions League clash as Borussia Dortmund welcomed Inter Milan. In a game characterized by poor final-third qualities and high-intensity pressing, Cristian Chivu’s Inter side showed superior clinical edge. While BVB dominated no so much stretches of the ball, Federico Dimarco’s 80th-minute masterpiece and a late strike from Andy Diouf secured a 2-0 victory for the Nerazzurri, leaving the Yellow Wall in a state of stunned silence, but last season's runners-up still failed to secure a direct spot in the Champions League last-16.

Tactical analysis and match report by Aderemi Qoyum.

The atmosphere in Dortmund was electric for the final league phase fixture. Niko Kovač’s side needed a statement win to salvage their automatic qualification hopes, while Inter sought to snap a three-game European losing streak. The meeting between the two former European champions on Wednesday proved to be a cagey affair, with both sides standing a chance to secure a place in the last-16.

Borussia Dortmund lined up in a 3-4-2-1 formation. Gregor Kobel stood behind a back three of Emre Can, Nico Schlotterbeck, and the young Filippo Mané. Julian Ryerson and Ramy Bensebaini provided width, flanking a midfield duo of Jude Bellingham and Felix Nmecha. Maximilian Beier and Fábio Silva operated as dual tens behind the target man, Serhou Guirassy.

Inter Milan countered with their trademark 3-5-2 system. Yann Sommer started in goal, protected by Yann Bisseck, Francesco Acerbi, and the former Dortmund man Manuel Akanji. In the absence of Nicolò Barella, Petar Sučić joined Piotr Zieliński and . . .