The history of Inter’s Champions League finals

It was an unforgettable night that saw Inter fly into the 2024/25 Champions League final. After the 3-3 draw in the first leg, the tie against Barcelona was won 4-3 in extra time with goals from Lautaro, Calhanoglu, Acerbi and Frattesi. The next game will now be in Munich, where on Saturday 31 May 2025, Inter will play in the final. The Nerazzurri have played six finals between the Champions Cup and the Champions League in their history with three wins in total.

27 MAY 1964, VIENNA. INTER 3-1 REAL MADRID

The first final, that marked a whole generation of Nerazzurri fans, was played in Vienna. The strength, ability and talent of that team had a huge influence on European and World football. It was the "Great Inter" led by Helenio Herrera and built by Angelo Moratti. Following the Scudetto won in 1962-62, Inter made it to the final of Europe's top competition, beating Real Madrid 3-1. It was a historic match, in which the Nerazzurri got in front just before the end of the first half through Mazzola's gorgeous right-footed strike. In the second half, Milani made it 2-0. At first, Felo restored hope with a half-volley but Herrera then sealed the deal with Mazzola's strike to make it 3-1. It was an incredible night, a deserved win, and a trophy that became part of Nerazzurri history.

Real Madrid 1-3 Inter

Goals: 43’ Mazzola, 60’ Milani, 70’ Felo, 76’ Mazzola

Real Madrid: Vicente, Isidro, Pachin, Muller, Santamaria, Zoco, Amancio, Felo, Di Stefano, Puskas, Gento. Manager: Munoz

Inter: Sarti, Burgnich, Facchetti, Tagnin, Guarneri, Picchi, Jair, Mazzola, Milani, Suarez, Corso. Manager: Helenio Herrera

Referee: Stoll (Austria)

27 MAY 1965, MILAN. INTER 1-0 BENFICA

Coincidences are often a springboard for facts and figures. But, in Inter history, 27 May is not just any old day. In fact, a year after beating Real in Vienna, Herrera's Nerazurri played their second Champions Cup final on the exact same date. This time, at home in front of our fans. It was a truly unique occasion with Benfica as our opponents this time. In the semi-final, Inter were involved in a crazy game, coming back against Liverpool after losing 3-1 in the first leg. In the return leg, at home, Herrera's side won 3-0, earning themselves a place in the final for the second year running. It began with Eusebio showing off his threat straight away, but stopping him was Sarti. Just before the end of the first half, Jair scored the all-important goal. Mazzola did a one-two with Corso and set up Jair who burst into the area and found the winner with his right foot. After the break, the rain poured down and it became a proper battle: Mazzola hit the post and missed a chance to make it two. Benfica went down to ten but they kept fighting right to the end: Sarti and a fired-up San Siro denied them an equaliser and the Nerazzurri won their second consecutive Champions Cup. It is an achievement that still gives us goosebumps today: two wins against two of the biggest teams in the World. It is more proof of how good that team was and it is certainly no coincidence that Inter fans can still easily name that whole team today.

Inter 1-0 Benfica

Rete: 42’ Jair

Inter: Sarti, Burgnich, Facchetti, Bedin, Guarneri, Picchi, Jair, Mazzola, Peirò, Suarez, Corso. Manager: Helenio Herrera

Benfica: Costa Pereira, Cavem, Cruz, Germano, Raul, Neto, Coluna, Josè Augusto, Torres, Eusebio, Simoes. Manager: Schwartz

Referee: Dienst (Switzerland)

25 May 1967, LISBON. CELTIC-INTER 2-1

Inter took part in the competition after winning our tenth Scudetto. Our path to the final began with two great performances in the quarter-final with Herrera's boys winning 1-0 in the first leg, and 2-0 in the second leg. In the semi-final, there was a proper battle against CSKA Sofia. Both legs had the same result: 1-1. Inter then got their place in the final through a 1-0 victory in the play-offs. In the final in Lisbon, the Nerazzurri got in front with Mazzola converting from the spot. After the break, the Scottish side turned up the heat. First Gemmell, and then Chalmers secured the win. That then marked the end of the Herrera and Angelo Moratti era, during which Inter won three Scudettos, two Champions Cups and two Intercontinental Cups.

Celtic Glasgow 2-1 Inter

Goals: 6’ Mazzola (pen), 62’ Gemmell, 83’ Chalmers

Celtic Glasgow: Simpson, Graig, Gemmell, Murdoch, McNeill, Clark, Johnstone, Wallace, Chalmers, Auld, Lennox. Back-up keeper: Falton. Manager: Stein

Inter: Sarti, Burgnich, Facchetti, Bedin, Guarneri, Picchi, Domenghini, Mazzola, Cappellini, Bicicli, Corso. Back-up keeper: Minussi. Manager: Helenio Herrera

Referee: Tschenscher (West Germany)

31 MAY 1972, ROTTERDAM. AJAX 2-0 INTER

Giovanni Invernizzi's Inter got into the final in Rotterdam after beating Celtic in the semis from a penalty shootout. Their next opponents were Ajax and Johan Cruijff, the cornerstone of total football. The game was decided after the break thanks to Cruijff's brace. It was the Dutchmen's second consecutive Champions Cup win.

Ajax 2-0 Inter

Goals: 47’ and 77’ Cruijff

Ajax: Stuy, Suurbier, Hulshoff, Blankenburg, Krol, Haan, Neeskens, G. Muhren, Swart, Cruijff, Keizer. Bench: Weser, Van Dyck, Schilleer, A. Muhren, Rep. Manager: Kovacs

Inter: Bordon, Bellugi, Facchetti, Oriali, Giubertoni (12’ Bertini), Burgnich, Jair (56’ Pellizzaro), Bedin, Boninsegna, Mazzola, Frustalupi. Bench: Vieri, Fabbian, Ghio. Manager: Invernizzi

Referee: Helles (France)

22 MAY 2010, MADRID. BAYERN 0-2 INTER Madrid sends a shiver down your spine, and it's an emotion that every Inter fan has, and always will have, inside their heart. It is the triumph of a side that has entered Nerazzurri folklore forever. It is the perfect union of two meeting souls: that of a team becoming one with their fans. On 22 May in the final against Bayern Munich, Diego Milito sealed off an extraordinary season with an incredible brace to win us the final. Il Principe became a symbol of our fans and of a legendary Champions League campaign. After, he and his teammates became etched in club history forever. The final at the Bernabeu is the culmination of a story that began in the August of the year before, and ended with three trophies won in the same season, an achievement that had never happened before in Italy.

Bayern Monaco 0-2 Inter

Goals: 35' Milito (I), 70' Milito (I)

BAYERN MUNICH (4-4-2): Butt; Lahm, Van Buyten, Demichelis, Badstuber; Robben, Van Bommel, Schweinsteiger, Altintop (63' Klose); Muller, Olic (74' Gomez). Bench: Rensing, Gorlitz, Pranjic, Contento, Tymoshchuk. Manager: Louis Van Gaal.

INTER (4-2-3-1): Julio Cesar; Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Chivu (68' Stankovic); Zanetti, Cambiasso; Eto'o, Sneijder, Pandev (79' Muntari); Milito (90+2' Materazzi). Bench: Toldo, Cordoba, Mariga, Balotelli. Manager: José Mourinho.

Referee: Webb

10 JUNE 2023, ISTANBUL. MANCHESTER CITY 1-0 INTER

Inter returned to the final of Europe's top competition 13 years after that night in Madrid. Inter's road to the final in Istanbul began with their loss against Bayern Munich before turning into an incredible campaign, with wins against Barcelona, Porto, Benfica and AC Milan. The final was played at the Atatürk stadium, and the trophy went to Guardiola's Manchester City who won 1-0 thanks to Rodri's goal. However, the Nerazzurri put in a performance full of effort, character and pride.

MANCHESTER CITY 1-0 INTER

Scorers: 68' Rodri

MANCHESTER CITY (3-2-4-1): 31 Ederson; 6 Akè, 3 Dias, 25 Akanji; 5 Stones (82' 2 Walker), 16 Rodri; 20 Bernardo Silva, 17 De Bruyne (36' 47 Foden), 8 Gundogan, 10 Grealish; 9 Haaland. Bench: 18 Ortega, 33 Carson, 4 Phillips, 14 Laporte, 19 Alvarez, 21 Gomez, 26 Mahrez, 32 Perrone, 80 Palmer, 82 Lewis. Manager: Pep Guardiola.

INTER (3-5-2): 24 Onana; 36 Darmian (84' 33 D'Ambrosio), 15 Acerbi, 95 Bastoni (76' 8 Gosens,); 2 Dumfries (76' 12 Bellanova), 23 Barella, 77 Brozovic, 20 Calhanoglu (84' 22 Mkhitaryan), 32 Dimarco; 9 Dzeko (56' 90 Lukaku), 10 Lautaro. Bench: 1 Handanovic, 21 Cordaz, 5 Gagliardini, 6 De Vrij 11 Correa, 14 Asllani, 37 Skriniar. Manager: Simone Inzaghi. Referee: Marciniak (POL).