Inter can played 41 previous matches against German sides (including Bayern Munich) and currently have a record – and a winning one at that – of 20 victories (including the incredible final of the 2009/10 Champions League that finished 2-0 to Inter), 8 draws and 13 defeats. In European club competitions, Inter have now arrived at their 19th competitive match in Germany, also taking into account the previous ones hosted by Bayern Munich, and up to now the record stands at 5 wins for the Nerazzurri, 7 draws and 6 losses to German clubs. Inter’s last victory in Germany goes back to March 19th of 2003 in the Champions League, when Inter came away with a 2-0 win at Bayer Leverkusen. Since that match there have been 4 meetings consisting of 2 draws and 2 losses for the Nerazzurri, in which they have always conceded (7 in total).

The 1st leg was the only time these two coaches have met in competitive fixtures: Van Gaal’s Bayern Munich left Milan with a 1-0 victory over Leonardo’s Inter.

This is the 7th competitive match between the two sides, with a record of 2 wins for Inter (both 2-0), 1 draw and 3 German wins (all in Milan). Of these 6 previous meetings the most memorable remains the incredible final of the 2009/10 Champions League last May 22nd, which saw Inter win 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid.

There have been 36 competitive matches between Bayern Munich and Italian teams, including matches against Inter, and up to now the record stands at 12 German victories, 7 draws and 17 Italian wins (including the incredible final of the 2009/10 Champions League that finished 2-0 to Inter). This is the 16th time in European club competitions in which Bayern Munich have played host to an Italian team, and up to now they can claim a record in their favour (including matches against Inter) of 6 wins, 5 draws and 4 losses.

Italian sides have travelled abroad to try to overturn a first-leg home defeat on 42 occasions in European cup competitions. Only 7 times have they managed to pull it off - a 16.7% success rate. The king of Italian comebacks is in fact Inter, who have done it twice, both times in the UEFA Cup: against Finnish outfit Turun Palloseura (0-1 in Milan, 2-0 in Finland in) 1987/88 and against Lyon (1-2 in Milan, 3-1 in France) in 1997/98, the year in which the Nerazzurri went on to win the competition beating Lazio 3-0 in the final in Paris.

The last time an Italian side won in Germany in European competition was on 18 September 2008, when Udinese beat Borussia Dortmund 0-2 (UEFA Cup). The 9 matches played on German soil since then have produced 7 German wins (including all 4 of the last 4), and 2 draws, the last of which was Bayern Munich 0-0 Juventus on 30 September 2009, in the Champions League group stage.

Italian teams have won just once in the last 16 visits to German opposition in the Champions League: that was on 11 April 2007 when AC Milan beat Bayern Munich 0-2 in the quarter-final second leg. In the other 15 games in that period there have been 10 German wins and 5 draws.

The last time Inter scored a goal in a competitive European fixture was on 24 November 2010, when they beat Twente 1-0 at home in the Champions League, Cambiasso scoring the goal after 55 minutes. Since then, in the 35 remaining minutes of that match, and the Champions League games lost to Werder Bremen (0-3 away) and Bayern Munich (0-1 at home), the Nerazzurri have failed to hit the net in 215 minutes.

Bayern Munich have lost just one of their last 16 home games in competitive European fixtures: that came on 2 November 2009 when they were beaten 0-2 by Bordeaux in the Champions League. In the other 15 games in that period the Bavarians have won 10 (including the last 7) and 5 draws. A coincidence? The last time they lost, the match official was Portuguese referee Proenca, who is also in charge of Bayern v Inter today.

Bayern Munich have failed to score on just one occasion In their last 16 European fixtures, and that was in the Champions League 2009/10 final, when they were beaten 0-2 by Inter. In the other 15 games in that period Bayern have scored 34 goals.

This is the sixth time Bayern Munich have taken a 1-0 advantage back to Germany in a two-legged tie in European cup competitions, and so far they have have never failed to qualify. They did that against Czechoslovakian side Skoda Pilzen in the Cup Winners' Cup in 1971/72 (6-1 win in the return leg), Swedish outfit Oster in the European Cup in 1981/82 (5-0 return-leg win in Germany), Cypriot team Anorthosis Famagosta in the UEFA Cup in 1983/84 (a 10-0 whitewash in Munich), as well as against both Manchester United and Real Madrid in the 2000/01 Champions League (2-1 home wins against both).

This is the second time Inter have played a competitive European fixture on 15 March: in the 2004/05 Champions League the Nerazzurri beat Porto 3-1 at home in the Round-of-16 second leg, therby qualifying for the quarters after drawing 1-1 in Oporto. On that 15 March night Adriano made history by becoming the first Inter player to score a hat-trick in a European Cup/Champions League fixture.

This is the second time Inter have played a competitive European fixture on 15 March: in the 2004/05 Champions League the Nerazzurri beat Porto 3-1 at home in the Round-of-16 second leg, thereby qualifying for the quarters after drawing 1-1 in Oporto. On that 15 March night Adriano made history by becoming the first Inter player to score a hat-trick in a European Cup/Champions League fixture.

Pedro Proença was born in Lisbon (Portugal) on 3 November 1970. He has been an international referee since 2003. He will be overseeing a European tie for the 6th time this season, after Salzburg 2-3 Hapoel Tel Aviv (Champions League play-off), Twente 2-2 Inter, Real Madrid 2-0 AC Milan and Manchester United 1-1 Valencia (Champions League group stages) and Besiktas 1-4 Dynamo Kyiv (Europa League Round of 32). Proença will be taking charge of a competitive fixture involving Bayern Munich for the second time: in the 2009/10 Champions League the Germans were beaten 0-2 at home by Bordeaux. It is also the second time the Portuguese official has overseen a game involving Inter, after Twente 2-2 Inter in this season's Champions League. Proenca has officiated over German sides 7 times in the past, resulting in 3 German wins, 3 draws and just 1 German defeat - by the Bavarians themselves. He run the rule over matches involving Italian teams 4 times, with the following results: 1 Italian win (Roma 5-1 Aris Thessaloniki, UEFA Cup 2005/06), 2 draws (Zurich 1-1 AC Milan, Champions League 2009/10; Twente 2-2 Inter, Champions League 2010/11) and 1 defeat (Real Madrid 2-0 AC Milan, Champions League 2010/11), with our sides always conceding - a total of 6 goals.

MUNICH – Inter beat Bayern Munich 2-3 in Germany this evening in the UEFA Champions League 2010/11 Round-of-16 second leg to seal qualification to the quarter-finals.

The Allianz Arena was the scene for a great show tonight: a full house that included 3,000 Nerazzurri fans packed in after making the trip to get behind the team and help overturn the 0-1 deficit from the first leg. And they were on the comeback trail after just three minutes, when Pandev's through-ball for Eto'o was tucked away through Kraft's legs by Inter's top scorer. Julio Cesar might have wanted to walk home again tonight after he fumbled Robben's 21st-minute shot, allowing Gomez to swoop for the equaliser – much like the one conceded at the Meazza. Just ten minutes later Muller added a second to send the Nerazzurri in at half-time a goal behind; and it would have been two had Ranocchia not hacked clear with the ball trickling along the goal line. After the restart, a lovely right-footed strike from Sneijder - from outside the box low into the far corner - got Inter back in the game at 2-2. And their hopes were turned into reality with a few minutes remaining thanks to another sweetly struck effort by Goran Pandev, following good work by Eto'o. Inter thus qualify for the quarter-finals after completing a European comeback for the first time since 1993 – an impossible comeback, they said. But with Inter anything is possible.

FIRST HALF - Leonardo was forced to rethink his starting line-up after Zanetti was ruled out with flu, meaning that Cambiasso and Thiago Motta both started in midfield alongside Stankovic, who was named captain for the evening. Lucio recovered in time to take his place at the heart of the defence but Milito wasn't even among the substitutes. Both sides took to the field with a black armband as a sign of respect towards the earthquake victims in Japan, and a huge banner was displayed ("Japan, we are with you") during the minute's silence at the beginning of the game.

The Bavarians looked dangerous from the off, with Robben's freekick met by Gomez in front of goal but saved by Julio Cesar after just a minute. But almost immediately Inter took the lead through super Eto'o: Stankovic fed Pandev, who played a delightful through-ball behind the defence for Eto'o (just onside) to latch onto and turn his shot between Kraft's legs. Eto'o made it one-nil to Inter with his 8th goal in the Champions League and 32nd overall this season; like last Friday, he dedicated it to Nagatomo. Bayern's response came in the form of a Ribery cross finding Gomez yards from goal on 10 minutes, but Ranocchia slid in to make the crucial block just as Gomez pulled the trigger. Inter were still blazing and launching attacks through Eto'o and Sneijder, but as in the first leg a mistake by Julio Cesar brought the Nerazzurri crashing back down to earth: Robben's long-range blast was fumbled by the Inter keeper and up popped Mario Gomez – again! - to score by lobbing Julio Cesar with his back to goal and make it 1-1. The goal sparked Van Gaal's side into life and just ten minutes later they had turned the score around: Robben played in a pass looking for Gomez, Thiago Motta got a touch on the ball on the edge of the box but it slipped away from him allowing Muller to run onto it and deftly chip over Julio Cesar: 2-1. In the 35th minute, Julio Cesar came to Inter's rescue with a superb save from Ribery, pushing the ball just over the bar. On 39 minutes, following Thiago Motta's freekick, Stankovic was presented with a great chance to equalise but he delayed a fraction too long and Kraft was onto it. A minute later and a quite miraculous goal-line clearance by Ranocchia kept Inter in the game: Ribery's ball into the box was for Gomez, who slid in and beat Julio Cesar, and the ball bounced along the line for what seemed like an eternity before Ranocchia hacked clear – via Muller's foot and then the post – into Julio Cesar's hands. To an almighty sigh of relief from all Inter fans. They were holding their breaths again minutes later when Lucio got himself into a fix trying to clear under pressure from two opponents but the danger was eventually cleared, and after one minute of stoppage time the two sides went in for the break. Inter, at half-time, you had everything still to do.

SECOND HALF – The second half got underway with the same 22 players on the pitch and with Bayern taking the initiative, first through Gomez, who had his shot blocked by Julio Cesar in the 47th minute, then with Schweinsteiger taking a weak shot from distance a minute later. In the 51st minute Leonardo made his first change when he removed Stankovic, who was carrying a slight injury, and replaced him with Coutinho. A chance fell to Inter just before the hour mark: a low freekick from Sneijder was followed by a cross from Ranocchia for Lucio, which saw Kraft come off his line just in time for the crucial interception. After 61 minutes Eto'o unintentionally served up a dangerous ball for Pandev, whose shot was parried, however. Then, with more decisiveness, the "Lion King" fed Sneijder, whose magnificent right-footed shot beat Kraft to bring the score to 2-2. Hopes were further reignited when Pandev nearly put Inter ahead in the 67th minute as he chest-trapped Sneijder’s long pass, but the ensuing shot on the turn sailed just over the crossbar. Sneijder came close on 80 minutes after a pass from Eto’o, but his powerful right-footer from outside the box was saved. Hope never died and in the 88th minute Pandev sent the Nerazzurri fans around the world into raptures by connecting with a pass from Eto'o and blasting the ball into the top corner with a left-footed strike. The Macedonian triggered an explosion of Nerazzurri joy inside the Allianz Arena with his goal that sent Inter to the quarter-finals and closed the game with a 2-3 score line. Only once in the history of the Champions League had a team overcome a first-leg loss at home.
And today Inter made history.

Bayern Munich 2-3 Inter (HT: 2-1; AGG: 3-3)
Scorers: Eto'o 3, Gomez 21, Muller 31, Sneijder 63, Pandev 88.

Bayern Munich: 35 Kraft; 2 Breno (39 Kroos, 90), 30 Gustavo, 5 Van Buyten (28 Badstuber, 70), 21 Lahm; 31 Schweinsteiger, 23 Pranjic; 7 Ribery, 25 Muller,10 Robben (8 Altintop, 68); 33 Gomez.
Unused subs: 1 Butt, 16 Ottl, 18 Klose, 44 Tymoshchuk.
Coach: Louis Van Gaal.

Inter: 1 Julio Cesar; 13 Maicon, 6 Lucio, 15 Ranocchia, 26 Chivu (55 Nagatomo, 87); 5 Stankovic (29 Coutinho, 51), 8 Thiago Motta, 19 Cambiasso; 10 Sneijder; 27 Pandev (14 Kharja, 90), 9 Eto'o.
Unused subs: 12 Castellazzi, 2 Cordoba, 17 Mariga, 23 Materazzi.
Coach: Leonardo.

Referee: Pedro Proenca (Portugal).
Booked: 38 Gustavo, 57 Breno, 59 Lucio, 88 Pandev, 90+1 Kharja, 90+4 Thiago Motta.

Added time: 1 + 4 mins.

starting lineups

substitutes