Inter Triumph, Milan Slump Ahead Of Champions League Semi-Final Date

Inter Milan warmed up for their Champions League semi-final showdown with AC Milan with an entertaining 4-2 win over Sassuolo on Saturday while their city rivals floundered 2-0 at Serie A strugglers Spezia. A Romelu Lukaku brace on his 30th birthday, a further strike from Lautaro Martinez and an unfortunate Ruan Tressoldi own goal were enough for Inter to claim a seventh straight win in all competitions and move level on 66 points with second-placed Juventus. "The coach told us the game was a match-point for the top four, and we're in good shape as we've been winning a lot of games recently," said Lukaku to Sky Sport.

"We can still win two trophies and on Tuesday we have a very difficult match against the team that won the league last season."

Inter hold a 2-0 lead over Milan ahead of Tuesday's second leg and Simone Inzaghi's side look almost certain to reach their first Champions League final since they last won it in 2010.

Their chances of qualifying for next season's edition of Europe's top club competition were also greatly improved by Saturday's win, which came after top four rivals Lazio, Milan and Atalanta all dropped points.

Inter are five points ahead of fifth-placed Milan but after looking like they were going to cruise to the win they didn't end up having it their own way.

Lukaku put Inter ahead with a rasping effort shortly before the break after both Domenico Berardi and Joaquin Correa both had goals ruled out for offside.

Ten minutes after the restart Tressoldi headed Raoul Bellanova's cross into his own net and the match seemed over three minutes later when Martinez's effort was deflected in again by Tressoldi.

Headers from Matheus Henrique and Davide Frattesi pulled Sassuolo back into the game until