Federico Dimarco inspired Inter Milan to a 2-0 victory at Borussia Dortmund only for the Serie A leaders to narrowly miss out on automatic progression to the last 16 of the Champions League.
The Nerazzurri finished one point behind four top-eight clubs – Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting Lisbon and Manchester City – despite grafting hard to win at Signal Iduna Park and they go into Friday’s play-off draw as seeds while Dortmund dipped out of the top 16 and will be unseeded.
Serhou Guirassy, boasting three European goals this term including a brace against Athletic Bilbao, had a huge chance to fire Dortmund ahead in the 11th minute as he took aim with his left boot, Yann Sommer making a smart save.
Inter’s Dimarco also presents a potent threat on that side of the pitch but bared his teeth at the other end with Gregor Kobel having to look alive to snaffle his high left-footed drive.
The Italy wing-back tried again with his favoured foot before the half-hour mark, with a break in play while Filippo Mane received treatment giving Dortmund chance to regroup.
Shots were exchanged heading into half-time as Fabio Silva tried to head Julian Ryerson’s cross in for Dortmund before Ange-Yoan Bonny nodded an Inter opportunity into Kobel’s gloves.
ANDY DIOUF!!! Off the bench and onto the scoresheet 🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/4lGkJrIrSg
— Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter_en) January 28, 2026
Visiting boss Cristian Chivu shook things up with the introduction of Francesco Pio Esposito before the hour and the young Italy striker soon woke Kobel up with a good header followed by a low drive before, in the 78th minute, his close-range attempt was denied despite a fine pass from Marcus Thuram picking him out.
It fell to Dimarco to capitalise on his first-half promise when Inter won a free-kick in shooting range. The Nerazzurri academy product stepped up to whip home a curler off his left to send his club, for a matter of minutes, into the top eight.
Substitute Andy Diouf wrapped up the away win with his maiden Champions League goal in stoppage time but a combination of unfavourable results elsewhere meant Inter were stuck in the play-off places.
