In a dramatic clash at the iconic San Siro, FC Bayern München faced off against Inter Milan in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on April 16, 2025. Despite a valiant effort that saw them come back to level the score twice, Bayern ultimately fell short, drawing 2-2 on the night and exiting the competition with a 4-3 aggregate defeat.
The match began with Bayern Munich eager to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg. Harry Kane, who has been in sensational form throughout the tournament, opened the scoring for Bayern in the second half, marking his 11th goal of the season in the Champions League. The England international received a well-placed pass from Leon Goretzka, took his time, and slotted the ball through the legs of defender Dimarco and into the far corner of the net, sending the Bayern fans into raptures.
However, the joy was short-lived. Just six minutes later, Lautaro Martinez equalized for Inter Milan, capitalizing on a corner kick that Bayern struggled to defend. Martinez's initial header was cleared off the line by Joshua Kimmich, but he was quick to react to the rebound, slotting it home to make it 1-1.
Inter continued their onslaught, and within three minutes, they took the lead through Benjamin Pavard, who powered a header past Bayern’s goalkeeper, Jonas Urbig, from another corner. The Italian side's ability to score from set pieces proved pivotal in this clash, as Bayern's defense faltered at critical moments.
Despite trailing 2-1, Bayern refused to back down. Eric Dier found the net to level the score at 2-2, heading in from a well-executed short corner taken by Serge Gnabry. With 14 minutes left on the clock, the stage was set for a thrilling finale, and Bayern looked to push for a third goal that would send them through to the semi-finals.
As the match approached its climax, Kane had a golden opportunity to secure his team’s progression in the dying moments. In the 91st minute, he found himself in a perfect position after a mis-timed punch from Inter's goalkeeper, Yann Sommer, left the ball at his feet. However, in a heart-wrenching twist, Kane fired over the bar, missing the chance to force extra time.
After the final whistle, emotions ran high. Kane was visibly upset, tears in his eyes as he reflected on the missed opportunity. “I think when he watches that, that will pain him,” commented former Chelsea and England star Joe Cole on TNT Sport, highlighting the pressure on the striker in such decisive moments.
Max Eberl, Bayern's board member for sport, expressed his disappointment following the match, stating, “When you’re knocked out like that, of course disappointment is the overriding feeling. I definitely don’t think we were the worse team in both legs. Perhaps the luckier team went through.” Eberl emphasized the need for the team to learn from this experience, noting the thin margins that often define matches at this level.
Head coach Vincent Kompany echoed Eberl's sentiments, stating, “In football, it always comes down to details – to those little steps that make the difference in these games. It’s obviously a shame for us. If you look over the course of both legs, you can’t really ask for much more. Nevertheless, in the end, we were missing the goals.”
Thomas Müller, a veteran of the squad, added, “Obviously we’re disappointed, although what does ‘disappointed’ mean? I’m not really that disappointed because at the end of the day we’re just playing football.” Müller acknowledged the quality of Inter Milan, who had only conceded two goals in the entire Champions League season before facing Bayern.
Harry Kane, reflecting on the overall performance, stated, “We had enough chances in both games to score more goals. And tonight, conceding two goals from set pieces is tough to swallow. We were very close at the end, but in these big games, it comes down to moments, and they exploited them better than we did.”
On the other side, Inter Milan's coach, Simone Inzaghi, praised his team’s performance, stating, “These nights stay with us forever. To progress against a team such as this is extremely difficult. We managed it together with our fans behind us. We played with great intensity.”
As the dust settles, Bayern must now regroup and focus on the Bundesliga, where they still have the chance to reclaim the title. The disappointment of this Champions League exit will linger, but with a new season on the horizon, the team has the opportunity to learn and grow from this experience. “The new Champions League season begins in five months,” Kompany reminded his players, instilling a sense of hope for the future.
With the Club World Cup also on the horizon, Bayern Munich will look to channel their frustrations into a successful campaign in the months to come. The journey may have ended in heartbreak this time, but the spirit of the team remains unbroken, ready to fight for glory once again.
