PLAYER RATINGS | Inter Milan 3-0 Monaco: Lautaro Martinez hat-trick sinks 10-man Monaco | OneFootball

UEFA Champions League, Matchday 8, 29/01/25

AS Monaco ended their UEFA Champions League campaign with a comprehensive 3-0 loss against Inter Milan at the San Siro with Lautaro Martinez netting all three goals on a miserable night for Les Monégasques.

The Match

The match was ultimately ended as a contest before the 20-minute mark. With their first meaningful attack, Marcu s Thuram flicked the ball over Mohammed Salisu’s head, burst into the box and was brought down by Denis Zakaria. Lautaro Martinez did the job from the penalty spot, opting for power which was enough to Radoslaw Majecki, who correctly predicted that the Argentinian would go down the middle.

In the 12th minute, matters got even worse for Monaco, who saw Christian Mawissa sent off. Once again it was Thuram who isolated his man one-on-one and Mawissa, the last man, opted to bring down the France international without any interest in playing the ball. Already with a mountain to climb, Martinez then completed his brace in the 16th minute. It was a scrappy goal, from a knockdown in the box, but one which ended the game as a contest.

By the 19th minute, Maghnes Akliouche had made way for Caio Henrique with Adi Hütter forced into changing the shape of his team. It was a logical choice, one taken with the aim of avoiding a humiliation. Federico Dimarco then had another big chance one-on-one but he blasted over. Thereafter, Les Monégasques seemed to have weathered the storm as Inter also took their foot off the gas, a fact mirrored by their fans breaking into a Poznan before the 23-minute mark. More attention was paid to the big screen that captured their fierce rivals AC Milan struggling away to Dinamo Zagreb.

Internazionale had chances to add a third early in the second half with Majecki forced into two smart saves, firstly from Thuram and then from Benjamin Pavard. The Principality club did concede a third, however, and it came from the man that tormented them throughout – Martinez. Henrikh Mkhitaryan ran unopposed from his own half getting away a shot that was parried straight into the path of Martinez, who accepted Majecki’s gift and tapped in from close range.

The night would get worse for Monaco, who then lost Jordan Teze to what looked like a serious injury. It also meant that the Principality club ended the game with just nine men on the pitch. Marko Arnautovic almost profited from Monaco’s misfortune but he could only head over late on with the goal gaping. Three sufficed for Inter, who breeze through with a comfortable top-eight finish, Monaco meanwhile will have to go through the play-off round.

Monaco player ratings

Radoslaw Majecki – 4

Christian Mawissa – N/A

Mohammed Salisu – 2

He was frequently caught one-on-one in the opening exchanges, being beaten by Thuram for the penalty and he simply could not handle the Frenchman. He won only five of his 13 duels in what was an uncharacteristically unimposing performance.

Thilo Kehrer – 4

Replaced by Jordan Teze (N/A) at half-time. He didn’t complete the match as he was forced off on a stretcher after a seemingly innocuous collision.

Vanderson – 4

Lamine Camara – 4

Replaced by Soungoutou Magassa (5) at half-time. He brought a bit of stability into the midfield when he came on, although he was, like Teze, completely at sea for Inter’s third.

Denis Zakaria – 4

Takumi Minamino – 3

Aleksandr Golovin – 4

Maghnes Akliouche – N/A

Replaced by Caio Henrique (3) after just 19 minutes with Hütter needing to change his system.

Breel Embolo – 4

Inter Milan selected player ratings

Lautaro Martinez – 9

The Argentine forward consistently popped up in the right places at the right time. His penalty was coolly taken and he was clinical with his two other finishes as he was reactive and well-positioned to latch onto loose balls.

Marcus Thuram – 8

His contribution was critical in the opening exchanges. He frequently pinned his defenders one-on-one and used his body intelligently to manipulate fouls, as he did for the penalty, or beat his man, as he did against Mawissa, drawing the red card. No goal for the Frenchman but a decisive performance.

Federico Dimarco – 7

GFFN | Luke Entwistle – reporting from the San Siro, Milan