Real Madrid secured the top spot in Group D by defeating Inter Milan 2-0 in Spain, with the Italian side finishing the match with ten players for nearly half an hour, in the concluding round of the Champions League group stage on Tuesday. Both teams entered the match having already secured their places in the knockout stage, but the battle for group supremacy remained, with a draw being enough for Real to claim it.
The Spanish club renewed its victory over Inter after previously defeating them in Milan with a single goal in the 89th minute from Brazilian Rodrigo. Real Madrid increased its points to 15, while Inter has 10, and Sheriff Tiraspol from Moldova, who also secured qualification for the Europa League playoff, has seven points after drawing 1-1 against Shakhtar Donetsk, who sits at the bottom with 2 points.
German Toni Kroos (17) and substitute Marco Asensio (79) scored for the hosts, while Inter completed the match with ten players after Nicolo Barella was sent off in the 64th minute for striking Brazilian defender Eder Militao.
Real played the match without its attacking star, Frenchman Karim Benzema, who had to leave the game during the first half against Real Sociedad due to injury. Serbian Luka Jovic replaced him, scoring a goal and providing an assist to secure a 2-0 victory for his team in La Liga. Meanwhile, Inter entered the match after a significant 3-0 win against Roma in the capital, marking their fourth consecutive win in Serie A, closing in on the leading rival Milan by just one point.
The match began with a chance for Brazilian Vinicius Junior, who is having an outstanding season, as his shot from inside the box went just wide (2). Inter then pressed hard and was the more dominant side, coming close on several occasions, including a spectacular volley from Croatian Marcelo Brozovic from outside the box that hit the top of the net (7). Another chance came for his compatriot Ivan Perisic, who shot from close range but was denied by defender Dani Carvajal (12).
Kroos opened the scoring with a brilliant left-foot shot from outside the box into the left side of Slovenian goalkeeper Samir Handanovic (17). Despite Inter's 13 attempts in the first half, only one was on target, while Madrid might have increased their lead had Rodrigo's shot not struck the post just before halftime (45).
Barella almost equalized at the start of the second half with a clear chance inside the box but sent his shot bizarrely over the bar (48). Coach Simone Inzaghi made a triple substitution in the 60th minute, bringing on Chileans Arturo Vidal and Alexis Sanchez along with Uruguayan Matias Vecino in search of goals. However, Barella’s sending off stunted his ambitions. The Italian was sent off after Miilitao pushed him off the pitch while challenging him, leading Barella to lash out in anger (64).
Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti also made a triple substitution in the 78th minute, including bringing on Asensio for Rodrigo. Asensio scored a stunning goal seconds later with a left-footed shot from just outside the box into the top right corner, which bounced off the post and nestled in the net (79).
In Donetsk, Brazilian Fernando opened the scoring for Shakhtar in the 42nd minute, but Sheriff equalized in the third minute of stoppage time through North Macedonian substitute Boban Nikolov.
