Inter Milan, defending champions, qualified for the semi-finals of the Italian Cup by dismissing Atalanta Bergamo (1-0) on Tuesday evening at San Siro, five days before the derby against AC Milan in the league.

Milan Skriniar, who will finally stay until the end of the season under the nerazzurra tunic before leaving free in June, probably to Paris-SG, was not on the score sheet. Perhaps to spare him a bronca from the tifosi interisti after several days of rumors in the press about a possible early departure this week.

Romelu Lukaku, he was well on the lawn as a starter, which had not happened since January 4 to the Belgian, who is still struggling to find the rhythm since his long unavailability in the fall for a thigh injury. “Big Rom” still struggled to be dangerous, until his exit in the 71st minute, in a meeting generally controlled by the Nerazzurri.

Hakan Calhanoglu got the best Milan opportunity of the first period by presenting the post (41st) and it was Matteo Darmian, tenured in defense in the absence of Skriniar, who found the fault with a cross shot from the left (57th).

Inter will face in the semi-finals in April, in round-trip matches, Juventus or Lazio Rome, opposed Thursday evening (9:00 p.m.) in the quarter-finals in Turin (single match).

The other two quarter-finals on Wednesday will pit Fiorentina against Torino (6 p.m.) and AS Roma against Cremonese (9 p.m.).