Inter Milan Seeks Top 8 Spot After Beating Sparta Prague
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Inter Milan moved closer to securing a top-eight spot in the Champions League with a hard-fought victory over Sparta Prague, needing just one point from their final match to guarantee progression. Under the new format, the top eight teams automatically qualify for the last 16 while those finishing 9th to 24th must compete in a two-legged play-off. Lautaro Martinez gave Inter the lead in the 12th minute with a superb volley after connecting with Alessandro Bastoni’s deep cross to the back post.
The ball bounced off the underside of the bar and into the net, putting Inter ahead. Denzel Dumfries thought he had doubled their advantage later in the match but the officials ruled out his well-taken goal for offside. Defensively, Inter showed their strength, conceding just one goal in seven European games this season. They limited Sparta Prague to an expected goals (xG) of just 0.35, emphasizing their dominance.
Simone Inzaghi’s side, currently in fourth place, now faces a crucial final league-phase game at home against Monaco. Inter can still finish second in the group if Barcelona lose to Arsenal and Inter secures a win. Sparta Prague has officially been knocked out of the Champions League. They now look ahead to their final group match against Bayer Leverkusen, aware that their European campaign has come to an end.
With one game remaining, Inter Milan focuses on securing their place in the knockout stages while Sparta Prague aims to finish their group-stage campaign with a positive result.
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