Inter Milan 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen: 5 talking points as Nerazzurri reach semifinals | UEFA Europa League 2019-20
Inter Milan marched to the semifinals of the Europa League after seeing off Bayer Leverkusen in an entertaining 2-1 victory in Dusseldorf.
Nicolo Barella opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a wonderful outside-of-the-boot finishing before Romelu Lukaku doubled the lead soon after.
Kai Havertz, who's heavily linked with a move to Chelsea this summer, reduced the deficit with a simple finish off a well-worked team move. But it failed to inspire Leverkusen to mount a comeback as they went off the boil in the second half.
Inter Milan also had two penalty appeals go against them in either half. But it mattered little as Antonio Conte's side comfortably sailed through and will next face either FC Basel or Shakhtar Donetsk in the last-four in Cologne.
Here are the major talking points from the match:
Five talking points from Inter Milan's 2-1 Europa League quarterfinal win over Bayer Leverkusen:
#1: Frenetic game lost steam post-interval
Given the sheer amount of attacking quality in both camps, the game expectedly saw plenty of goalmouth action, especially in the opening stanza. Nicolo Barella, Romelu Lukaku, and Kai Havertz, all scored just nine minutes apart, as the match lived up to its post-match billing. Then there was the penalty incident too, further taking the entertainment quotient through the roof.
It was an absolutely rollicking affair heading into the break, but the second-half was rather damp. Leverkusen, who were second best for most of the game, went completely off the boil after the interval. Inter Milan were frustrated at the lack of cutting edge to finish off some half-chances. Lukaku, Eriksen, and Moses all came close to extending the lead for Inter Milan but were let down by disappointing finishes.
#2: No VAR madness, for a change
Ever since the Video Assistant Referee has been introduced, there's seldom a game that goes by without controversy. This game was one of them. The VAR was called into question on three occasions, and each time, the match official didn't err.
Kai Havertz's goal in the first-half was initially ruled out for no apparent reason, but later awarded after a quick check. However, the penalty incident that followed soon after needed more careful review on the pitchside monitor before being ruled out in another correct decision.
Daley Sinkgraven was penalised for a handball initially, but replays showed that the ball came off his shoulders, leading the referee to cancel the spot kick. In a repeat incident after the break, Christian Eriksen's handball inside Leverkusen's area saw another Inter Milan penalty rescinded.
For all the mayhem caused by incorrect decisions in recent games, it was a rather auspicious day for VAR.