Marcelo Brozovic’s scorcher allowed Inter to end the Serie A season on a high and gear up for the Champions League, but Torino leave eighth place to Fiorentina.
The Nerazzurri warmed up for the Champions League Final against Manchester City, with Federico Dimarco, Milan Skriniar, Joaquin Correa and Henrikh Mkhitaryan not fully fit. Toro needed a win to lock down eighth place, which could be worth Conference League qualification if Juventus are excluded by UEFA for financial irregularities, and were missing Nemanja Radonjic.
Lautaro Martinez and Samuele Ricci drilled just wide, then Denzel Dumfries had a deflected finish at Vanja Milinkovic-Savic on a corner and Romelu Lukaku turned Alessandro Buongiorno for an angled drive deflected inches wide.
Samir Handanovic needed a one-handed save on Wilfried Singo’s header from a corner, but Inter immediately scored on the counter with Lukaku’s pass finding Marcelo Brozovic in acres of time and space outside the D, Milinkovic-Savic getting a hand to it, but unable to keep out the left-foot rocket.
Hakan Calhanoglu tested Milinkovic-Savic from distance, while substitute Edin Dzeko skimmed the upright, as did Roberto Gagliardini’s header across the face of goal from a free kick.
Yann Karamoh had a point to prove against his parent club, forcing a tricky one-handed save from Handanovic with his angled drive.
Lukaku’s free header was too central to trouble the goalkeeper, but there was room for 40-year-old Inter third-choice goalkeeper Alex Cordaz, who took centre stage with a stunning reaction save on Antonio Sanabria from six yards.
Ivan Ilic had penalty appeals waved away, as he went down rather dramatically when feeling contact from Brozovic, then Edin Dzeko thumped the base of the upright on the counter-attack after combining with Lukaku.
Pietro Pellegri should’ve equalised with a free header on a corner, only to turn it wide, while Miranchuk fired straight at Cordaz. In stoppages, Sanabria had another huge opportunity, completely mis-timing the tap-in.
Inter end the season winning 11 of their last 12 games in all competition.
Torino 0-1 Inter
Brozovic 37 (I)
Player statistic
37' | Marcelo Brozovic (Assist: Romelu Lukaku) |
50' | Hakan Calhanoglu | |||
Wilfried Singo | 58' | |||
68' | Robin Gosens |