A goal in each half by Argentina striker Diego Milito helped Inter Milan overcome Bayern Munich 2-0 in the Champions League final on Saturday in Madrid’s Bernabeu stadium and end the Italian club’s 45-year wait for Europe’s top club title.
Coach Jose Mourinho may have dominated the build-up to this year’s final — not least because of what looks like his impending move to Real Madrid — but Milito stole the show on the pitch with two clinical finishes to help Inter become the first Italian club to register the treble of domestic league, cup and Champions League.
I cannot explain how I feel,” said Milito, who also scored in all three Champions League knockout rounds as well as netting the winner in the Italian Cup final.
It’s a joy I have never experienced before. It is great for the club. It a unique sensation. This is football. I’m very happy. I always fought. I always tried to give my maximum.”
Bayern were going for a treble themselves but without the suspended Franck Ribery were overly reliant on Arjen Robben and were unable to break a resolute Inter defence down.
Inter coach Mourinho, meanwhile, joins Ernst Happel (Feyenoord and SV Hamburg) and Ottmar Hitzfeld (Borussia Dortmund and Munich) as the only coaches to have won the European Cup/Champions League with two different clubs.
Although the Nerazzuri started the stronger, Bayern slowly began to settle with Robben nearly finding Ivica Olic at the near post after 10 minutes.
Inter had to wait until the 18th minute for their first goal threat when a Wesley Sneijder free-kick took a slight deflection but Hans-Joerg Butt pushed the ball away to safety.
Despite having the edge in terms of possession, Bayern coach Louis van Gaal was left fuming in the 35th minute though when his side fell behind to a simple route-one effort from Inter.
Goalkeeper Julio Cesar’s long goal-kick was steered into the path of Sneijder by Milito, who latched on to the Dutchman’s return ball before clipping the ball over the advancing Butt to make it 1-0.
Samuel Eto’o nearly made his way through the Bayern defence two minutes later but Martin Demichelis managed to clear the danger while three minutes before the break, Milito set up Sneijder but the Dutchman fired straight at the approaching Butt.
In an electric start to the second-half, Thomas Mueller nearly levelled matters when found by Olic in the box but Bayern’s best chance of the match came to nothing as the midfielder’s weak strike was easily dealt with by Julio Cesar.
A minute later, Goran Pandev’s curling effort from the edge of the area was turned away by Butt as Inter almost caught the German champions out on the break.
Hamit Altintop’s shot hit the side netting on 53 minutes as Inter began to sit back while nine minutes later Robben whipped in a fierce free-kick from the left, which broke to Mueller but his shot was headed clear by Esteban Cambiasso.
Julio Cesar was called into action once again on 65 minutes when he managed to claw away a Robben shot which looked destined for the top corner as Inter continued to play a dangerous defensive game.
Cristian Chivu was replaced by Dejan Stankoviv shortly afterwards having struggled for long periods against Robben but with 20 minutes remaining Milito struck the killer blow with his second goal of the game and sixth goal of this season’s Champions League campaign.
Milito beautifully controlled Eto’o’s pass before ghosting past Daniel van Buyten and calmly slotting the ball past Butt to make it 2-0.
Milito was given a deserved standing ovation when replaced by Marco Materazzi in added time as Inter fans celebrated their third Champions League triumph after distant successes in 1964 and 1965.
