Legends are different, but they’re definitely different. Manchester United ‘legend’ Rio Ferdinand has revealed some incredible insights.
Inter Milan lost the second leg of their UEFA Champions League (UCL) round of 16 second leg tie against Atletico Madrid (ATM) 1-2 at the Civitas Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain, on Thursday (June 14). After a 2-2 aggregate score after the first leg, Inter were eliminated in the round of 16 after penalty kicks.
It was the last game to decide the quarterfinalists. Inter Milan took a comfortable lead in the 33rd minute when Federico DiMarco scored the opening goal. It made the score 2-0 and gave them a commanding lead.
However, two minutes later, Antoine Griezmann equalized and Memphis Depay added a second goal in the final minute of the first half to make the score 2-2. The game went to extra time, where neither team could find the winner. The match went to penalty kicks.
Inter Milan lost the penalty shootout 2-3 and failed to advance to the quarterfinals. ATM only missed Saul Niguez, but the Italian club ended their UCL journey with Alexis Sanchez, Davy Klaassen, and Lautaro Martinez missing chances.
Before Inter Milan’s final kicker Martinez missed, there was a man who predicted it. Ferdinand. “He tried to kick the ball as he walked away, but fumbled it,” he told the Daily Mail. And the moment he put the ball down, he was not confident. I saw that and felt he was going to miss,” he said.
It was the last game to decide the quarterfinalists. Inter Milan took a comfortable lead in the 33rd minute when Federico DiMarco scored the opening goal. It made the score 2-0 and gave them a commanding lead.
However, two minutes later, Antoine Griezmann equalized and Memphis Depay added a second goal in the final minute of the first half to make the score 2-2. The game went to extra time, where neither team could find the winner. The match went to penalty kicks.
Inter Milan lost the penalty shootout 2-3 and failed to advance to the quarterfinals. ATM only missed Saul Niguez, but the Italian club ended their UCL journey with Alexis Sanchez, Davy Klaassen, and Lautaro Martinez missing chances.
Before Inter Milan’s final kicker Martinez missed, there was a man who predicted it. Ferdinand. “He tried to kick the ball as he walked away, but fumbled it,” he told the Daily Mail. And the moment he put the ball down, he was not confident. I saw that and felt he was going to miss,” he said.
As predicted, Martinez didn’t score. His kick sailed high and wide of the goal, and the game was over. Martinez looked at the grass after the kick.
Martinez is a striker who won the World Cup in Qatar 2022 and is the leading scorer in the league this season with 23 goals. He has earned the trust of his manager enough to captain the team. However, in the penalty shootout, he couldn’t handle the pressure of being the “number five kicker” and missed.
Meanwhile, if Dortmund defeats PSV Eindhoven in another match at the same time, all eight teams in the quarterfinals will be confirmed. The quarterfinal draw will take place on the 15th. It will be interesting to see which team will lift the ‘Big Ears’ (UCL trophy) this season.