Bayern Munich 0 Inter Milan 2
A Diego Milito double ensured Inter Milan were crowned Kings of Europe after ousting Bayern Munich 2-0 in the Champions League Final at the Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid.
Jose Mourinho’s side also completed a historic treble, and, at the same time, the ‘special one’ got the better of his former mentor at Barcelona, Louis van Gaal.
It is Inter’s third European Cup, but only the first since 1965, and, if rumours are proved correct, it could mark the end of Mourinho’s three year tenure with the Italian champions.
Bayern dominated the opening stages of the final through Mark van Bommel and Arjen Robben. They almost took the lead after nine minutes when Arjen Robben’s mazy run down the right-wing set-up Ivica Olic, but the Croat could not direct the ball on target.
The Germans also had a penalty claim turned down after 15 minutes. Robben’s free kick appeared to touch Maicon’s arm, but English referee Howard Webb decided it was unintentional.
And then Robben, who was beginning to exert his influence in the game, snatched at an opportunity when the ball kindly fell to him just outside the penalty area.
Inter’s best chances early on came from their playmaker Wesley Sneijder. First a deflected free-kick tested Hans-Joerg Butt, but the goalkeeper pushed the effort away. Then Sneijder tried to connect to a Diego Milito cross after half an hour, but his volley was wayward.
However, despite being second best throughout the early stages, Inter took the lead after 35 minutes. A long kick up the field by their goalkeeper Julio Cesar was headed on by Milito, who played a one-two with Sneijder before placing the ball high past Butt to send the Inter supporters into wild celebrations.
And it should have been two-nil after 42 minutes. Milito, this time, found Sneijder free in the box, but the Dutchman’s left-footed effort was hit straight at Butt from around 15 yards.
Bayern raced out the traps in the second period and almost immediately equalised through Muller, but the youngster was stretching whilst shooting and Cesar saved with his right leg.
It was an opportunity Muller was to rue later on, and was the last clear cut chance they had for the rest for the rest of the final.
Just like the first half, Bayern pressed hard and were almost rewarded when Muller’s effort from a half cleared Robben free-kick appeared to deflect several times, but the ball ended up drifting away from the danger area.
And then Robben’s wonderful curling effort forced Cesar to tip the ball over when it was heading in the top corner.
But it was Inter who got the crucial second goal of the match on the 70 minute mark. Another counter attack saw Samuel Eto’o pick out Milito on the edge of the area. He easily skipped past Daniel van Buyten before firing a right foot shot past the goalkeeper into the far corner.
The goal was not surprising, as Inter seemed comfortable despite giving up most of the possession. Milito showed his class yet again, and he thoroughly deserved his second of the match.
The goal knocked the stuffing out of the Germans, and they failed to provide a late onslaught to the Inter defence.
Mourinho’s team was solid in the back line throughout, and their organisation was more than a match for the flair of Robben and Muller.
The encounter wasn’t a classic, but half of Milan and tens of thousands of others in Madrid will, no doubt, care little for the entertainment value.
Teams:
Bayern Munich: Butt, Van Buyten, Demichelis, Lahm, Holger Badstuber, Altintop, Van Bommel, Schweinsteiger, Robben, Olic, Muller
Inter Milan: Julio Cesar, Zanetti, Lucio, Maicon, Samuel, Chivu, Sneijder, Cambiasso, Eto’o, Milito, Pandev
