Lautaro Martinez is glad to bring Inter ‘where this club deserves to be’ in the Champions League semi-final against arch-rivals Milan. ‘It’s a very special match.’
There was already a 2-0 first leg lead to rely on against Benfica, but Nicolò Barella, Lautaro Martinez and Tucu Correa made sure of the victory with their well-worked goals at San Siro.
Despite that, it still ended 3-3 on the night, as the defence that had not conceded at all in the European knockout rounds this season suddenly faltered.
“I feel so happy and proud to represent this wonderful club. I am happy for my family, a huge hug to my brother who had a nasty knee injury, so this is for him,” Lautaro Martinez told Amazon Prime Video Italia.
He had failed to find the net in his last nine competitive matches, so really needed this goal to break that drought.
“There are moments in football, sometimes the ball goes in and sometimes it doesn’t.”
It won’t just be Inter’s first Champions League semi-final since winning the Treble in 2010, but also a Derby della Madonnina against city rivals Milan.
“It’s a very special match. We know what it means to play a derby in the Champions League semi-final. However, now we must make up lost ground in Serie A and then we can think about the Champions League.”
Fresh from winning the World Cup with Argentina, Lautaro Martinez could in theory end up winning the Champions League as well in the same season.
“I play this sport to win everything. We are in the semi-final and that is one objective achieved, after many years this club deserves to be where we are now.”