Inter Milan is the best team in Italy through 15 Serie A matches.
And the Nerazzurri are now headed to the Europa League.
Barcelona’s B team, with Lionel Messi not even bothering to suit up, beat Inter 2-1 on Tuesday at the San Siro behind a late winner from record-setting 17-year-old Ansu Fati. The defeat consigned the Serie A leaders to the Europa League knockout stage.
Inter Milan, which leads Juventus by two points domestically, entered the day knowing it needed to match Borussia Dortmund’s result at home to Slavia Prague to advance to the Round of 16. Dortmund led for most of the match and held off Slavia despite a red card. Inter thus knew it had to beat Barcelona to advance.
Ernesto Valverde, whose side had already locked up first place in Group F, left Messi out of the 18 while leaving Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong, Marc-André ter Stegen and Luis Suarez on the bench to start.
Despite this, Barcelona took the lead in the 23rd minute through Carles Perez. The 21-year-old winger was just onside as he took over from a touch by Arturo Vidal.
¡Gooooooool del Barça!
¡Gooooooool del Barça!Apareció Carles Perez para hacer el primero de los blaugranas y ya lo ganan. @Inter 0-1 @FCBarcelona#UCL | #Barcelona | #InterEn vivo: https://t.co/iSiOgDg6Bj pic.twitter.com/rYzd8r4K5e
— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) December 10, 2019
Inter would pull one back just before halftime. Strong hold-up play from Lautaro Martinez allowed Romelu Lukaku to blast a deflected effort into the back of the net.
¡Gooooooool del Inter!
¡Gooooooool del Inter!¡Lukaku! ¡Lukaku! ¡Lukaku!Ya empató el partido y marcó su segundo gol de la actual Champions League... ¡Cuidado con el Inter! @Inter 1-1 @FCBarcelona#UCL | #Barcelona | #Inter
En vivo: https://t.co/iSiOgDg6Bj pic.twitter.com/DMu74BubYI
— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) December 10, 2019
Playing at home in a must-win match, one would expect the Nerazzurri to come roaring out of the gate in the second half in search of a winner.
It never really came together for Antonio Conte’s side.
Martinez, who was lively throughout, had two goals correctly called back for offside and Inter paid for failing to go ahead when Ansu Fati scored the winner in the 86th minute.
Fati became Barcelona’s youngest-ever goal scorer in August at the age of 16. He turned 17 on Halloween and scored his first career Champions League goal to put Inter out of its misery.
Ansu Fati Goal vs Inter Milan
¡Así como le llegó la prendió!
Golazo histórico de Ansu Fati Se convierte en el jugador más joven en anotar en la Champions League. @Inter 1-2 @FCBarcelona#UCL | #Barcelona | #InterEn vivo: https://t.co/iSiOgDg6Bj pic.twitter.com/u7szPwJBJc
— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) December 10, 2019
With that, Barcelona claimed the 2-1 victory and Fati became the youngest-ever goal scorer in the history of the Champions League. The record had been held by Peter Ofori-Quaye, who was 17 years and 195 days old when he first scored for Olympiacos in 1997.
Record breaker! Ansu Fati becomes the youngest goalscorer in #UCL history pic.twitter.com/NBegn92een
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 10, 2019
And Inter Milan will join Arsenal, Manchester United and Ajax in the Europa League knockout stages in 2020.
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