Feyenoord Exits Champions League Following Loss in Milan

Three-time champions Internazionale have secured a spot in their second UEFA Champions League quarter-final in just three years after eliminating Feyenoord from the competition.

Inter claimed a 2-0 victory in the first leg held in Rotterdam, with strikes from forwards Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez, leaving Robin van Persie and his Feyenoord squad with a daunting task to turn things around in the return match at the San Siro.

Feyenoord started the match with enthusiasm, registering their first shot on target within seven minutes. Aymen Sliti, who made his senior debut under Van Persie’s guidance, attempted a strike at Yann Sommer, but the Swiss goalkeeper dealt with the effort comfortably, denying the young player a dream first goal.

Shortly after, Inter showcased their attacking prowess, as Thuram skillfully navigated through Feyenoord’s defence and placed a powerful shot into the top right corner, granting Inter the advantage just eight minutes into the match.

The Rotterdam club mounted a response in their attempt to reclaim a spot among Europe’s elite, but failed to apply enough pressure on the hosts, with notable efforts from Wolves loanee Hugo Bueno going wide of the mark.

Luck appeared to favour Feyenoord when Slovakian referee Ivan Kruzliak awarded them a penalty after a foul on Jakub Moder, formerly of Brighton. The Polish international stepped up and calmly converted the penalty into the left corner, providing Feyenoord a glimmer of hope just before halftime.

Inter quickly regained control of the match after the interval when Thuram came close again, firing a shot just over the bar.

Intense pressure from Inter saw them awarded a penalty within five minutes of the second half when Medhi Taremi was brought down by Thomas Beelen, resulting in a VAR review confirming the decision.

Captain Hakan Calhanoglu calmly converted the penalty just after the hour mark, restoring Inter’s lead in the 51st minute.

Feyenoord continued to challenge Inter, playing with optimism despite the odds against them. However, Beelen created further concerns by seemingly fouling Thuram in the box, but VAR intervened, prompting Kruzliak to overturn the decision, leading to a yellow card for Thuram for simulation.

The Frenchman was keen to score again and came perilously close, striking the crossbar with a fierce shot from inside the area.

Ultimately, van Persie’s squad realised that overcoming a 4-1 aggregate deficit in the dying embers of the game was an insurmountable task. They simply played out the remainder of the match, ending their most fruitful campaign in the Champions League in over two decades.

Inter will now face Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, following the German side’s comprehensive 5-0 aggregate victory over Bayer Leverkusen.