Inter Milan – Bayern Munich: Game, Set-Piece, Match Inter Edge Past Bayern & Kompany Into Semis (2-2, 4-3 Agg)

Simone Inzaghi’s Inter edged past Bayern Munich in a tightly contested game at the Giuseppe Meazza. Two second half goals from set pieces from Lautaro Martinez and Benjamin Pavard gave Inter the aggregate lead over Bayern despite the German club scoring two via Harry Kane and Eric Dier. Scores stayed level after ninety minutes but Inter progressed into the semis on aggregate as Bayern were left biting the dust.

Tactical analysis and match report by Gaurav Krishnan.

On a warm summer night at the Giuseppe Meazza, Lautaro Martinez could be seen ascending the advertisement hoardings to celebrate his goal on the night against Bayern; standing tall and commanding the Inter captain celebrated with the jubiliant Inter fans after scoring a decisive goal in the tie. Although it proved to be a premature celebration, it was Inter who progressed into the Champions League semi-finals against Bayern scoring two from set pieces and holding on to their lead despite a late Bayern salvo.

Inter had the slight edge going into this game, the narrowest of one goal advantages and at the end of the ninety in Milan, it proved to be the decisive factor. For Bayern’s case, they simply had to beat Inter in a tricky away game at the Giuseppe Meazza. But Inter were resilient on home turf. The first half was a tightly contested affair with both sides unable to break the deadlock.

However, the Bayern contingent tried their best to overturn the deficit but Inter’s last ditch defending was once again evident as they blocked several Bayern attempts. Nevertheless, the German heavyweights would score two despite Inter’s formidable defending.

Harry Kane squeezed a shot through the legs of Dimarco to score Bayern’s first on the night, while Eric Dier’s looping header late on went in past Sommer. But it was too little too late for the German outfit. By the time Dier’s effort went in, Inter had already scored two from their corners. It made for a tense late period in the game as Inter sat back and Bayern attacked deep into added time after the ninety, but despite their best efforts, Bayern couldn’t turn the tide & equalise to send the game into extra time. Bayern had 20 attempts on the Inter goal in the game but they couldn’t find the goal that would level the tie on aggregate.

For all that’s been said about Inzaghi’s tactics, the Italian boss has managed yet another Champions League semi-final qualification, asserting his imprint on the modern game and serving as a flag bearer for Italian football in the 2020s. Inter are the only Italian side in the Champions League semi-finals this season mirroring their run to the final in 2022/23 under Inzaghi as well.

It proved to be a proper Italian job done on Bayern over the course of the two legs. Inter stayed defensively solid & compact and scored at the other end in swashbuckling fashion from two set pieces. In the end it was just enough to trudge over the line against the German giants Bayern, securing yet another Champions League semi-final spot under the astute leadership of Simone Inzaghi. 
The Giuseppe Meazza was formidable & fervent on the night, as they witnessed their Inter team progress past Bayern although via a slender margin, leaving Kompany and his side biting the dust in their bid to overturn the deficit.

Simone Inzaghi lined up his Inter side in a 3-5-2 shape. Yann Sommer was named in goal with a back three of Alessandro Bastoni, Francesco Acerbi and Benjamin Pavard. Inter’s wingbacks on the night were Matteo Darmian at right wing-back and Federico Dimarco at left wing-back with a midfield three of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Hakan Calhanoglu and Nicolo Barella. While Inter’s familiar front two of Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram led the line as the two strikers.

Vincent Kompany fielded Bayern in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Jonas Urbig started in goal with back four of Konrad Laimer, Min-jae Kim, Eric Dier and Josip Stanisic. Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich anchored the midfield in the double pivot with Michael Olise, Thomas Muller and Leroy Sane just ahead. Meanwhile, Harry Kane led the line up front.

A Tactical Stalemate First Half

This game for Inter & Inzaghi was less about rotation & more about defensive solidarity. In build-up Inter’s build-up shape became a 3-1-4-2 & at times a 2-4-2-2 or 2-3-3-2 designed to create numerical advantages and exploit spaces in Bayern’s structure. Yann Sommer initiated play, often distributing to one of the three center-backs or going long. Bastoni, the left-sided center-back, was pivotal in progression due to his ball-playing ability, frequently stepping into midfield or delivering diagonal passes to the wing-backs or strikers. Acerbi anchored the defense, maintaining positional discipline, while Pavard, on the right, occasionally made underlapping runs to support Matteo Darmian or create overloads on the right side.

In the low build-up, Hakan Calhanoglu dropped deep as a single pivot, acting as a regista to dictate tempo and switch play. Nicolo Barella and Henrikh Mkhitaryan operated higher, often occupying the half-spaces or making late runs. Barella’s dynamism allowed him to press and recover balls, while Mkhitaryan’s work rate ensured defensive balance during transitions.

Minute 14’ Calhanoglu drops into the back two as Bastoni who makes a run earlier moves up into midfield. Pavard moves wide as Inter now build up with a back two of Acerbi and Calhanoglu. Barella drops into midfield occupying Bayern’s press. Calhanoglu moves wide & plays the ball across the pitch to Martinez who then plays a first time ball for Darmian’s run but the ball is intercepted by the Bayern back line & the move breaks down.

The wing-backs Matteo Darmian and Federico Dimarco were critical to Inter’s width & wide play as well. Dimarco, in particular, stretched Bayern’s right flank, delivering crosses or cutting inside to combine with Marcus Thuram. Darmian, on the other hand, was more conservative but effective in overlapping runs and defensive recoveries.

Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram did the usual up front. Martinez often dropped deep to link play, creating space for Thuram to exploit with runs in behind. Their interplay was central to Inter’s counter-attacking threat, with one striker pinning Bayern’s center-backs while the other attacked gaps in between the lines.

The game was characterised by Inter’s 5-3-2 out of posssession (OOP) shape. When Bayern sustained possession, Inter retreated into a 5-3-2 low block, with the wing-backs tucking in to form a back five. The midfield trio of Barella, Calhanoglu, and Mkhitaryan stayed narrow, closing passing lanes to Bayern’s attacking midfielders Muller, Olise, and Sane. Inter’s center-backs were disciplined & compact, with Bastoni and Acerbi excelling in aerial duels and interceptions. This compactness forced Bayern to rely on wide play or long shots. Inter also employed a squeeze tactic, pushing their defensive line higher after Bayern played sideways or backward passes. This reduced space for Bayern’s attackers and kept Inter’s goal safer from the Bayern threat.

Bayern meanwhile started their build-up in a 2-4-4 this often became a 3-1-3-3 with one full back or Goretzka dropping into the back three and Kimmich dropping in as the pivot ahead of the back three and connecting play from defense into attack. With Kimmich dropping deeper to orchestrate play, Muller started as the no. 10 operating in his “raumdeuter” ilk, exploiting pockets of space and linking with Kane, Olise, and Sane. Kane was the focal point of Bayern’s attack, dropping deep to receive and distribute or making runs in behind Inter’s defense, into the box.

Minute 5’ Bayern’s 3-1-3-3 vs Inter’s 5-3-2. Stanisic the full back drops into the back three with Kim & Dier. Kimmich drops into the midfield pivot in a 3-1. While Kane drops deep and wide near the halfway line as Laimer moves up making it a 3. Meanwhile, Muller attacks the Inter back line making a run into the CF space as Sane and Olise maintain the width.

Olise and Sane provided width and directness, cutting inside or delivering crosses. While Muller’s movement created overloads, particularly in the half-spaces, where he combined with Kane & the wingers. Bayern’s build-up was aggressive, aiming to bypass Inter’s press through short passing combinations or long balls to Kane. However, their high line and injury-depleted defense made them vulnerable to Inter’s counter-attacks.

The first half was a tactical stalemate, with both teams probing but failing to score. Inter’s 5-3-2 OOP shape frustrated Bayern, with Barella and Mkhitaryan closing central spaces and forcing Bayern to play wide. Laimer’s pullback from the byline created a chance, but Darmian blocked Muller’s shot, and Sommer saved Sane’s rebound. Inter’s counter-attacks were sporadic, with Dimarco and Thuram combining on the left but lacking end product.

The Game Springs To Life In The Second Half

The game sprung into life in the second half as Bayern struck first in the 52nd minute. Goretzka’s pass found Kane, who was given space by Dimarco. The England striker fired a low shot through the wing-back’s legs and past Sommer. The goal leveled the aggregate score and shifted momentum, as Bayern’s high press intensified, pinning Inter back.

However, Inzaghi’s side refused to capitulate and responded swiftly, exploiting Bayern’s set-piece vulnerabilities. In the 58th minute, a corner saw Martinez latch on to a loose ball, and he duly lashed it home from six yards running into the crowd to celebrate. Three minutes later, another corner resulted in Pavard powering a bullet header past Urbig from Calhanoglu’s delivery. Both goals, scored within three minutes of each other, restored Inter’s aggregate lead and showcased their set-piece prowess in a game of fine margins.

In the 76th minute, a short corner routine saw Serge Gnabry, who was subbed on for Sane, float a ball to the back post, where Dier’s looping header found the net. The goal gave Bayern some hope of equalising the score on aggregate, setting up a tense finale.

Inter Close Out The Game

In the final stages, Bayern shifted to a 3-2-5, or a 2-3-5 with Laimer joining the attack. Kimmich and Goretzka pushed forward, and Bayern bombarded Inter with crosses, but Inter’s low block remained solid and defensively aware.

Eventually, Inter would close out the game and maintain their slender 1-goal aggregate advantage. After taking the lead on aggregate Inter were happy to sit deeper into their 5-3-2 block, becoming tighter and more compact as the game wore on. This frustrated Bayern who couldn’t carve out an opening with Acerbi and Bastoni winning crucial aerial and ground duels along with Pavard.

Bayern pushed for a third goal to force extra time, but Muller’s header in the 95th minute was saved by Sommer. Inter’s low block held firm, and stayed compact and despite some late balls into the box by Bayern who were chasing the game in added time, Inter managed to see out the victory.

Takeaways

This was Inzaghi tactically outplaying Kompany & Bayern over the two legs. In the first leg it was their fluid rotaions and in this game, it was Inter’s low block that neutralized Bayern’s attacking firepower, while their rapid transitions and set-piece execution for Martinez and Pavard’s goals capitalized on Bayern’s weaknesses & lapses at the back. Inzaghi’s side deservedly progressed into the semi-finals, keeping their treble dreams alive.

For Bayern & Kompany, Muller’s inclusion over Guerreiro added that bit of added goal threat and Kane’s goal highlighted his obvious quality, but Bayern’s high line and lack of bench depth left them exposed. Their high press created chances but fatigued the midfield, and in truth their set-piece defending was poor to allow both the Inter goals.

The 2-2 draw was a fair reflection of a tightly contested match and tie over the two legs, with Inter’s discipline and opportunist finishing edging out Bayern’s attacking quality. Inzaghi outmaneuvered Kompany by exploiting set-pieces and maintaining defensive compactness in this second leg, while Bayern’s injury crisis and defensive lapses proved costly. Inter’s progression to face Barcelona sets up another exciting tactical battle for Inzaghi’s men, while Bayern must regroup for their Bundesliga aspirations, as they currently lead the table in Germany.

Use the arrows to scroll through all available match plots. Click to enlarge.
Check the match plots page for plots of other matches.