The Spanish team led Group D, surpassing the Nerazzurri, the runners-up from the previous season, on goal differential. After drawing their first game, the two teams concluded the group stage with equal points and head to head record.
At the San Siro stadium, the La Liga team was unbeaten and guaranteed a spot in the round of 16. With 12 points in the end, it was tied for the second spot on goal differential with Inter.
The San Siro encounter was a straight fight for the top slot and the opportunity to bypass some of the best teams in the round of 16 even though both teams were already making it to the knockout stage.
Despite the two players being added halfway through the second half, Inter coach Simone Inzaghi chose to rest Lautaro Martínez and Nicolò Barella.
Real controlled the majority of the possession in a monotonous first half in which it did not manage to register one attempt on goal. Inter had adopted a retaliating strategy to begin the game, but they lost the one opportunity to take the lead right before halftime.
With Serie A top scorer Lautaro Martinez joining the game, Simone Inzaghi’s team appeared more threatening. However, the Argentine failed to score from his opportunities in the box.
The VAR eventually affirmed the penalty that the Basques believed would put them up, and Takefusa Kubo received a booking for feigning a foul in the box fifteen minutes into the game.
Sociedad controlled possession, however it was difficult to translate that into meaningful attacks. Although Inter had the better opportunities, most of them were thwarted, as Yann Sommer of Inter and Alejandro Remiro of Sociedad had relatively quiet nights in the goal.
Just before halftime, Marcus Thuram broke forward and discovered Alexis Sánchez, giving Inter the finest opportunity of the game. Henrikh Mkhitaryan was the recipient of his second cross after his first was blocked, although Sociedad defender Hamari Traoré cleared the Armenian’s shot off the line.
Even though he had choices in the middle of the pitch, Lautaro chose to try for it from an incredibly tight angle, and his attempt went just wide. This could have been the game-winning kick.
