Premier League old boys Edin Dzeko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan netted early goals to leave AC Milan needing a Liverpool-style comeback to return to Istanbul.
This mad Milan derby was a million miles away from the old stereotype of cagey Italian tactical battles with 29 shots and defensive blunders. Seven-time winners Milan had conceded only one goal at home in their previous six semi-finals - and only once in their last six Champions League ties this season.
But Dzeko, who started ahead of Romelu Lukaku, and Mkhitaryan both scored in a crazy opening 11 minutes. Inter Milan looked like scoring on every attack as ex-Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori, who was booked after the break, showed why he has started only one match for England under Gareth Southgate.
By contrast, Inter’s Denzel Dumfries showed why he is a wanted man across Europe although Cameroon keeper Andre Onana had little chance to impress Manchester United, Tottenham or Chelsea.
The blue-and-black half of the city are now 90 minutes away from a first Champions League final since Jose Mourinho ’s team won the title in 2010. It will be staged in the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in the Turkish capital where Steven Gerrard inspired a Liverpool fightback from 0-3 down against AC Milan in the 2005 final.
The return leg is on Tuesday with the winners facing Dzeko’s former club Manchester City or Real Madrid. But the Bosnian warned: “It is a great result for but nothing is finished. In the Champions League only great teams get to the semi-finals so we have to be careful and be concentrated like today in the second game.”
Stefano Pioli’s 2023 team were dealt a huge blow before kick-off when winger Rafael Leao failed a lunchtime fitness test on his thigh strain. But the evening was soon to get worse at a packed San Siro where old stars like Paolo Maldini and Andrei Shevchenko - accompanied by Novak Djokovic - came out for the show. By the end the injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic could not watch while the 7,000 Inter fans for the away leg in their shared stadium made all the noise.
Dzeko opened the scoring after only eight minutes when he held off Milan captain Davide Calabria to volley home Hakan Calhanoglu's corner. At 37 years old, the former Manchester City striker is the second oldest player to score in a Champions League semi-final after Ryan Giggs (37years 148 days) for Manchester United against Schalke in 2010-11.
Three minutes later former Arsenal and United star Mkhitaryan, who is a mere 34, picked up Federico Dimarco pass and ran into a space as wide as the Piazza del Duomo before doubling the lead. Calhanoglu hit the post before Inter were given a spot kick after 31 minutes when Lautaro Martinez beat Tomori before going down when touched on the back by Simon Kjaer.
But Spanish referee Jesus Gil Manzano reversed his decision after consulting a pitchside monitor. Inter still sent in 11 shots in the opening 45 minutes despite enjoying only 41% of possession.
AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan denied Dzeko a second goal after the break before the hosts improved after the introduction of Divock Origi. Sandro Tonali hit the post after 62 minutes and sub Tommasso Pogbeba shot straight at Onana in injury time.
Tomori said: “Conceding two goals early on like that is difficult. It was a kick in the teeth. In the first half it took us a while to get back into the game. Second half we were better. I think there was a bit of anxiety in the team. It was difficult but it is only the first leg and we can’t let our heads drop. We know if we play with the right intensity we can put them in a bit of bother. With a bit more determination, a bit more anger, we could have scored. But we have to move onto the next game.”
