Quarterfinal victory over Bayern keeps Inter's treble dream alive

MILAN — Inter Milan's treble dream is alive and kicking after reaching the semifinals of the Champions League on Wednesday thanks to 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich, as the Serie A giant won a pulsating last-eight tie 4-3 on aggregate.

Italian champion Inter will face Barcelona in the semis, after two goals in the space of three minutes, from captain Lautaro Martinez and Benjamin Pavard, canceled out a Harry Kane strike for Bayern which leveled the tie in the 52nd minute.

Eric Dier's looping header in the 76th minute earned Bayern a draw on a soaking and blustery night in Milan, but it wasn't enough for Vincent Kompany's side to continue its bid to be crowned king of Europe for a seventh time.

Simone Inzaghi's side came through in awful conditions at the San Siro, where a combination of heavy rain and driving winds affected both teams' ability to play their best soccer, but added uncertainty and tension to an already highly-charged occasion.

"We don't give up, we have personality and heart and intelligence. We were definitely on the back foot at times today, but we showed again that we can do great things," Martinez told Amazon Prime.

Inter is still on for a repeat of the Serie A, Champions League and Italian Cup treble won under Jose Mourinho in 2010, as it is also three points ahead of Napoli in Italy's top flight and faces AC Milan in the semifinals of the domestic cup.

Wednesday's win showed that Inter is more than capable of reaching the final of Europe's elite club competition, as it did two years ago when it was narrowly beaten by Manchester City.

"We think about winning everything at the start of every season, because, if we don't, then we shouldn't play this sport. That's our mentality," added Martinez.

Bayern had won all three of its previous Champions League away matches at Inter, but after Pavard crashed home his first goal for the club in the 61st minute, there was no way back for the injury-hit Bundesliga leader, as the chance to contest the Champions League final in Munich slipped through its grasp.

"When you look at how the two games went, we wouldn't have wished for a lot different, except the goals we conceded," said Kompany.

"That's football, that's life."