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Real Sociedad avoided defeat at the Stade Guiseppe Meazza to finish top of Group D above Inter Milan
Real Sociedad have secured their place as the winners of Group D in the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League ahead of Inter Milan, Benfica and Salzburg.
Imanol Alguacil's team achieved the feat by avoiding defeat against Inter Milan in a goalless draw in the final round of group-stage matches, finishing first on goal difference.
Both teams had already qualified before this meeting at the iconic Giuseppe Meazza Stadium but Inter were second despite being tied on 11 points with Sociedad based on goal difference and needed a win to leapfrog their opponents into first place.
La Real made sure that win never came for the hosts through dogged defending to end the game goalless and advance to the round of 16 as group winners in their first Champions League campaign in a decade.
Umar Sadiq features as Inter v Sociedad ends goalless
Due to Sociedad only needing a draw and Inter keeping an eye out for this weekend's Serie A date with Lazio, this game did not have a lot of attacking impetus, goalscoring chances were few and far between.
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Both teams only had two shots on target apiece in what was an idle night for the goalkeepers but Real Sociedad still controlled the game with 62% possession and could have had a late penalty to win it had VAR not intervened.
Nigerian striker Umar Sadiq started the game but was substituted in the 61st minute and replaced with Benat Turrientes in what was a long night of toiling without chances to feed on.
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