Key Takeaways:
- Inter secured a 2-0 away victory over Borussia Dortmund in the final round of the Champions League main phase
- Federico Dimarco struck from a free-kick in the 80th minute, while Andy Diouf added a second goal in stoppage time last night
- Despite the win, both Inter (15 points, 10th place) and Borussia Dortmund (11 points, 17th place) will proceed to the playoff stage
Team Selections and Tactical Changes
Niko Kovac was compelled to make two changes to Borussia Dortmund’s starting eleven following a 3-0 Bundesliga triumph over Union Berlin. Filippo Mane, aged 20, made his tournament debut in defence for Waldemar Anton, who missed out due to a last-minute infection. On the left flank, Rami Bensebaini featured in place of the suspended Daniel Svensson. The attack saw Maximilian Beier, Fabio Silva, and Serhou Guirassy leading the line.
Christian Chivu, meanwhile, implemented five changes after Inter’s 6-2 victory over Pisa in Serie A. Francesco Acerbi and Manuel Akanji took the places of Stefan de Vrij and Alessandro Bastoni in defence. In midfield, Federico Dimarco came in for Carlos Augusto on the left. Up front, Marcus Thuram and Ange-Yoan Bonny started instead of Lautaro Martinez and Francesco Pio Esposito.
ᴍᴜʀᴏ ꜱᴄᴀʟᴀᴛᴏ pic.twitter.com/8l65HT62BN
— Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter) January 28, 2026
Match Analysis
Both teams opened cautiously, with Borussia Dortmund generating the first real opportunity in the 11th minute as Guirassy’s effort found only Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer. Three minutes later, Dimarco tested Gregor Kobel with Inter’s initial attempt. Defender Yann Bisseck produced two efforts for Inter, but neither troubled the scoreline.
Chances continued to fall to both sides – Dimarco sent another shot wide in the 26th minute and Silva missed with a header ten minutes before the interval. Bonny replied with a headed attempt, gathered by Kobel, before Luis Henrique concluded the first half’s opportunities.
After the break, Silva’s shot early in the half failed to hit the target, while Beier’s free-kick, deflected by Guirassy, was saved by Sommer. Inter’s momentum increased after the hour mark as substitute Esposito was denied a shot on goal by a flawless Bensebaini tackle. In the 71st minute, Sommer intervened to stop substitute Karim Adeyemi from firing at goal.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 80th minute when Dimarco’s magnificent direct free-kick found the net – the first goal of its kind by an Italian in the Champions League since Francesco Totti’s effort for Roma against CSKA Moscow in 2014.
Borussia Dortmund nearly responded through Nico Schlotterbeck, but his header flew wide. Their appeals for a penalty following Petar Sucic’s challenge on Adeyemi were dismissed after a brief VAR check. In stoppage time, Andy Diouf dispossessed Adeyemi and, following a smart exchange with substitute Frattesi, slotted his first Champions League goal past Jobe Bellingham to secure the victory.
Tournament Implications and Standings
Inter’s success ended a sequence of three consecutive Champions League defeats. However, falling one point short of the top eight, the side finished tenth with 15 points and will enter the playoff round. Borussia Dortmund, meanwhile, ended seventeenth on 11 points and must also contest the playoffs. Inter are set to meet either Benfica or Bodø/Glimt, while Dortmund will face Atalanta or Bayer Leverkusen for a place in the Round of 16.
| Match | Score | Goal Scorers |
|---|---|---|
| Borussia Dortmund – Inter | 0:2 | Dimarco (80′), Diouf (90+4′) |
