Lautaro Martinez scored the only goal of the match as Inter Milan recorded a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano in the International Champions Cup.
Martinez's stunner in the 31st minute proved enough for Inter to triumph on Saturday night as both teams brought their preparations for the 2018-19 campaign to a close.
Relive Sports Mole's live minute-by-minute coverage of the action below.
7.36pmEvening all! Sports Mole's pre-season coverage continues from the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid as Atletico Madrid face Inter Milan in the International Champions Cup. Tonight will be the final time that these two teams are in friendly action this summer, with both building towards big seasons. Stay tuned right here for what should be a very good game of football from Spain!
7.39pmRight, before anything else, let me bring you up-to-speed with the team news from Madrid. Do we have an indication of how both teams will start their respective seasons with the XIs tonight? Let's see...
7.42pmTEAMS!
ATLETICO: Oblak; Juanfran, Godin, Gimenez, Filipe; Thomas, Koke, Saul, Lemar; Correa, Costa
INTER MILAN: Handanovic; D'Ambrosio, Miranda, Skriniar, Dalbert; Vecino, Asamoah; Politano, Brozovic, Lautaro; Icardi
7.45pmAtletico are very strong tonight, with Diego Godin, Diego Costa, Koke and Saul Niguez all in the XI. Summer arrival Thomas Lemar also starts, but Antoine Griezmann and Nikola Kalinic - a deadline-day arrival - are on the bench. It will be very interesting to see how Lemar fits into this system.
7.48pmAs for Inter, Mauro Icardi will lead the line with support from recent arrival Lautaro Martinez. Marcelo Brozovic - so impressive for Croatia at the 2018 World Cup - will start in an advanced midfield position, while Joao Mario is among the substitutes for the Italian giants in Madrid.
7.51pm
📺⚖️VAR is going to be used at the Wanda @Metropolitano for the first time in today's match!
— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) August 11, 2018
#AúpaAtleti #AtletiInter #ICC2018 pic.twitter.com/9XhUukMYr8
7.54pmThis is Atletico's final pre-season match before they take on bitter rivals Real Madrid in the final of the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday night. Inter, meanwhile, are also be in friendly action for the final time this summer tonight ahead of their Serie A opener against Sassuolo next weekend.
7.57pmAtletico will open their new La Liga season away to Valencia on August 20, and it is shaping up to be a very interesting campaign for the Madrid giants. Can they challenge Barcelona and Real Madrid for the title? One thing is for sure, Simeone will have his team fired-up once again.
8pmAs for Inter, they have had a mixed pre-season in terms of results, but did beat Lyon last weekend. As mentioned earlier, this is their final friendly before travelling to Sassuolo in the league on August 19. Luciano Spalletti's side finished fourth in Serie A last term, and will be looking to start well.
8.03pmHere we go then; both sets of players have joined us on the pitch ahead of kickoff in this wonderful stadium. Far from a full house, but it should still be a very interesting game of football in Madrid.
0 minKICKOFF: Inter kick things off at the Wanda Metropolitano...
2 min... when I said it was far from a full house, that was probably an understatement. There are not that many supporters inside the stadium tonight for this pre-season match. That said, there is still a decent atmosphere, and those inside the ground are certainly making their voices heard early on.
4 minLemar is the closest player to Costa in the Atletico attack at the moment, and that could be a sign of things to come this season. Add Griezmann into the mix and Atletico have a very good front three. That said, Correa is also in the XI tonight, and Simeone thinks an awful lot of him.
6 minInter are having a good amount of the ball at the moment, with Vecino and Brozovic combining well in the middle of the park. We have not seen too much from Icardi in the final third thus far though.
8 minIcardi threatens inside the Atletico box following a super pass from Brozovic, but the offside flag had been raised. Inter are the team enjoying more of the ball with eight minutes on the clock.
10 minHalf-chance for Atletico as Juanfran breaks down the right before delivering low into the box, but Miranda is on hand to make a smart clearance. Just a reminder that Arias is on the bench for Atletico tonight, and he will battle Juanfran for the right-back spot at Atletico this season.
11 minSAVE! Big chance for Inter as Icardi eases past Godin before looking to find the back of the net, but Oblak is on hand to make a wonderful save. Excellent stuff all around from Icardi and Oblak.
14 minVecino breaks down the right for Inter before delivering into the Atletico box, but Godin is on hand to make the challenge. Inter are currently looking the team more likely to make the breakthrough.
15 minSAVE! Oblak manages to keep out a powerful strike from Brozovic, but the stopper spilled it!
17 minInter are looking very, very good at the moment as they continue to pass and probe in the final third of the field. Atletico are yet to really put together a serious exchange in the final third here.
19 minThere have been some tasty challenges over the last few minutes, with Lemar the latest player to fly into the back of Icardi. Inter continue to look the most likely to make the breakthrough.
20 minCLOSE! Wow! Politano has just skimmed the crossbar with a powerful strike!
22 minGood work from Correa as the Atletico forward breaks into a dangerous position before delivering a low cross, but there are no takers, and Inter can clear their lines once again.
24 minMuch better from Atletico in the last five minutes or so as they start to boss the possession. Lemar is seeing more of the ball in dangerous areas, and Costa looks to have overcome that early problem.
24 minYELLOW CARD! Costa (Atletico) is booked for arguing with the referee - shock! Dalbert had come across to challenge the striker before the referee blew for an Inter free kick, and Costa was not too pleased.
25 minWe have the first drinks break of the night. Simeone barks out his orders.
27 minSimeone was like an American football coach just then as he appeared to set out a number of plays. We are back underway following that short stoppage, and it has been an entertaining game here.
30 minJuanfran breaks down the right once again before looking to deliver, but Miranda is on hand to make the clearance. Inter have been very strong defensively in the opening 30 minutes of this match, while they have been full of ideas down the other end. The visitors look in good shape.
31 minJust a reminder that Kalinic is on the bench for Atletico, and we should see the centre-forward at some point tonight. Lemar, meanwhile, continues to pick up good positions for the home side here.
31 minGOAL! ATLETICO MADRID 0-1 INTER MILAN (MARTINEZ)
32 minOh my word! That is just stunning! Inter take the lead in the 31st minute, and it is a quite staggering flying volley from Martinez at the far post. That is absolutely wonderful from the Inter forward!
35 minAsamoah provided the cross for the Martinez goal, but it was all about the effort from the striker, who was strongly linked with Atletico before making the move to the Italian giants. The response from Atletico has been decent, with Godin just heading over the crossbar from a free kick.
37 minInter are well worth their lead as we approach the end of the first period. Atletico have been decent, but the visitors have been the team more inventive in the final third of the field.
39 minJust a reminder that we are expecting both managers to make changes at the interval. Hopefully they are well documented, or it could become a problem. Certainly one of the least enjoyable things about pre-season matches is when teams make wholesale changes without properly announcing them!
41 minSHOT! Pass, pass, pass from Atletico as they work their way into the final third of the field. Luis turns inside the Inter box before striking towards goal, but his effort is too high.
43 minLuis breaks down the left before delivering a dangerous cross towards the far post, but Handanovic is on hand to claim. We are entering the very final moments of this first half of action.
43 minNothing pre-season about this match by the way. The tempo and indeed the quality has been very good indeed. That said, it is not a surprise as both teams are about to start their 2018-19 seasons.
43 minGOAL! ATLETICO MADRID 1-1 INTER MILAN (CORREA)
44 minAll square! Atletico level the scores late in the first period as Koke delivers a smart pass into Correa, who smashes into the back of the net. Correa had a lot of space there!
45 minCORRECTION! Following a VAR review, Correa's goal is disallowed for offside! VAR is in force tonight, and Inter still have their lead following a review.
45+1 minHALF TIME: ATLETICO MADRID 0-1 INTER MILAN
8.55pmSo there we have it. The referee brings the first period to a close with Inter leading 1-0 courtesy of a wonderful volley from Martinez. Atletico thought that they had levelled late in the first period through Correa, but that was chalked off following a VAR review. It has been a really good game.
9pmSTATISTICS! Inter had 60% of the ball in the first period, while they managed four attempts - three of which were on target. Atletico, meanwhile, hit the target with one of their five attempts. Inter do just about deserve their lead, but both teams have offered plenty in the first half of action.
9.05pmBENCH WATCH! Valero, Candreva and Mario are among those that should see some football for Inter in the second period, although Spalletti might choose to keep this XI on the field for an hour or so. As for Atletico, deadline-day arrival Kalinic is on the bench, while fellow new arrival Arias is also there. World Cup winners Griezmann and Lucas should also play some part tonight.
46 minKICKOFF: Atletico resume the action on home soil...
47 minATLETICO SUBS! Savic and Riquelme are on for Atletico. Gimenez and Koke have left the field. Well, it looks to be Koke. Not been confirmed, but I cannot see him for the moment.
48 minNo, Koke is there. The change has helpfully not been confirmed, which is often the case during pre-season. It is actually Thomas who has been replaced. Nothing from Inter at the break.
50 minIt has been a strong start from Atletico to the second period, and Inter are being forced back. That said, the Italian giants are so dangerous when they have the chance to counter at pace.
51 minCLOSE! Costa heads just over the Inter crossbar from a corner!
53 minSHOT! Riquelme fires wide of the Inter post as Atletico continue to force the issue here.
54 minSHOT! Atletico continue to force the issue, and Juanfran has just had a powerful strike deflected wide of the Inter post. Desperate defending from the Italian side at the moment here.
56 minMiranda has been excellent for Inter tonight against his former club, and the Brazilian has just barged Correa off the ball before taking a late challenge from the young Argentine. Still 1-0 Inter.
58 minCLOSE! So close for Inter! Martinez rises highest inside the box to meet a corner from the right, and his header drops just wide of the post. Atletico perhaps should have conceded a second.
60 minAtletico are having to defend their lines at the moment as Inter continue to deliver dangerous balls into the penalty box. Both managers are preparing to make more changes here.
61 minINTER SUBS! Brozovic, Asamoah and Miranda are replaced by De Vrij, Valero and Gagliardini.
62 minATLETICO SUBS! It is going to be pretty much a whole new team. Gelson Martins and Kalinic are both on for the hosts, while Griezmann has also entered the field. Thanks Diego!
64 minYELLOW CARD! Martinez (Inter) is booked for a foul on Savic.
66 minQuite a scrappy game in the last couple of minutes, and the number of changes has not helped. I must admit that I will not miss the amount of subs that occur in these pre-season fixtures.
68 minArias breaks down the right before delivering a low cross towards Griezmann, but Inter clear their lines once again. It must be said that the away side have defended very well in this match.
70 minGriezmann looks to find Kalinic with a deep cross, but it drifts straight out of play. Still 1-0 to Inter, with Martinez's sensational effort in the first period the difference between the two teams.
72 minINTER SUBS! Mario and Karamoh replace Martinez and Politano.
74 minLittle over 15 minutes of this pre-season match remaining, and you do get the feeling that there is going to be another goal. There are a lot of fresh players in the final third of the field now.
76 minWe have just had another drinks break in the Spanish capital, and are now back underway here.
78 minInter continue to defend their lines, with D'Ambrosio across to challenge Arias, who has been very lively since entering the field at right-back for the home side. We have not seen an awful lot from Icardi in the second period, but both teams have defended well for long spells of the match.
80 minGood pressure from Atletico as they force two corners in quick succession.
82 minINTER SUBS! D'Ambrosio and Vecino are replaced by Ranocchia and Candreva.
84 minMartins shows his incredible pace on the counter for Atletico, but Kalinic is chopped down before he can release a pass. Inter then break down the other end with Icardi during an open period.
86 minNot an awful lot to report in the last few minutes, but Atletico are forcing the issue.
88 minAtletico are having all of the ball at the moment as they continue to pass and probe in the final third. Inter, however, continue to clear their lines. Perhaps one more big chance to come.
90 minSAVE! Oh my word. Quite stunning! Wonderful goalkeeping from Handanovic, who manages to keep out a header from Vitolo. I am not entirely sure how he has managed to save that one!
90+1 minWe are into the first of four additional minutes at the end of the match here.
90+3 minTime is running out for Atletico, and Handanovic has the ball in his arms after Griezmann tripped over his own feet inside the Inter box. It appears that the visitors are going to triumph here.
90+4 minFULL TIME: ATLETICO MADRID 0-1 INTER MILAN
9.59pmSo there we have it. The referee brings the second period to a close with Atletico losing 1-0 to Inter in the International Champions Cup. Martinez's goal was the difference, and now both teams will enter their 2018-19 campaigns. Thanks for joining Sports Mole once again!
