Milan: A city that boasts two teams with a combined 10 European Cup titles has both back in the semifinals of this year’s Champions League — and set to play each other for a spot in the final.
Inter Milan and AC Milan need to control their excitement, however, and put their focus back on Serie A, where they are each at risk of not qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
Inter Milan completed a 5-3 aggregate victory over Benfica Wednesday to reach the semifinals for the first time since José Mourinho led the team to the treble of the Champions League, Serie A and Italian Cup in 2010.
That came a day after seven-time European champion AC Milan prevailed over Napoli to earn a spot in the final four for the first time since winning the title in 2007.
The Milan teams also met in the 2003 semifinals, with AC Milan winning on away goals and going on to beat Juventus in the final.
Milan will host Inter May 10 before the return leg six days later — with both matches played at their shared San Siro Stadium.
There are four Serie A matches to be played before that first leg, including games against direct rivals for the Champions League qualifying spots — both play Roma and Lazio. Inter also has the second leg of the Italian Cup semifinals against Juventus.
Milan is currently in fourth place — the final Champions League spot — two points above Inter. The Rossoneri are three points below Roma and eight behind second-place Lazio.
However, they could be dumped out of the top four before this weekend’s matches if Juventus gets its 15-point penalty suspended on appeal. That would lift the Bianconeri up to third.
Milan hosts Lecce Sunday, while Inter visits Empoli.
Inter has lost four of its past five matches in Serie A, drawing the other one, and only scored two goals in that run.
“We have to transfer the enthusiasm from Europe into the league,” Inter coach Simone Inzaghi said. “We know where we have come from, what crazy run of matches we’re having. We’re playing every two and a half days.
“We’ve dropped important points but we know that we must do better. We know that probably without the Champions League or cup we would have certainly had a better position in the standings, but we have to play like Inter in every match.”
Inter got a boost when Lautaro Martínez ended his goal drought Wednesday. The forward got one goal and set up another against Benfica to snap a run of eight matches without scoring.
Martínez had scored nine goals in the previous 14 matches after returning from helping Argentina win the World Cup in Qatar.
“I had two great months after the World Cup, then I dropped off a lot,” Martínez said. “I was also a bit tired physically. … I hope this goal will help me get back on form and help my teammates.”
AP
