Even though a victory was required to keep their play-off qualification hopes alive, Sparta knew that was a nigh-on impossible task against the Italian giants who had won seven of their eight previous away matches.
Indeed, Letensti didn’t really put a foot wrong and still went behind after just 12 minutes when Alessandro Bastoni’s far-post cross sailed to Lautaro Martinez, who thumped his volley off the ground, then crossbar, and into Peter Vindahl Jensen’s net.
The Argentine’s fifth goal in his last seven appearances only served to motivate Sparta though, and they started to play more freely as the first half elapsed.
Eventually, that led to chances, and the hosts could easily have equalised when they worked it well into the box and called Yann Sommer into a strong save to deny Veljko Birmancevic’s effort.
Nicolo Barella then hit wide for the visitors, but it could well have been argued that Sparta had seen the better of the goalmouth action in a half of few chances.
The same couldn’t be said for the beginning of the second half though, and Sparta swarmed the Inter box, testing Sommer again with Birmancevic’s near-post drive
But that left them wide open at the back, and the hosts were fortunate that VAR came to their rescue to disallow Denzel Dumfries’ strike for an offside in the build-up.
The same dynamic continued into the match’s latter stages, but all the while, Inter looked confident and assured on the ball, and Vindahl Jensen kept his side in it by tipping Davide Frattesi’s attempt over the bar.
Sparta’s efforts to get back on level terms had clearly taken their toll, and they were ultimately chasing shadows as the final exchanges played out.
Inter’s superior goal difference means that finishing in the league phase top eight is firmly in their own hands, and only a point against AS Monaco on matchday eight is required to ensure a last-16 berth.
Meanwhile, Sparta lose a fifth successive Champions League match for the first time ever and bow out of the competition having won just one of their last 21 outings in Europe’s top tier.