Inter Milan 0-2 Liverpool (Firmino 75′, Salah 83′)
It was eat or be eaten in their Champions League group of death, and Liverpool devoured all who stood in their way, winning six from six, plundering 17 goals in the process.
With their already formidable forward line boosted in the January transfer window, Inter defenders won’t have slept soundly ahead of the visit of the side who seem to save their best for Europe’s elite competition.
Yet, the octane levels were nullified in a misty Milan as Liverpool found new ways to win, as the very best do.
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Inter, back in the knockout stages for the first time in a decade knew that they had fluffed their lines when it mattered most. When you have Liverpool on the ropes, which does not happen often, you have to put them out of their misery.
The scene was one to be savoured, as there won’t be many more nights like this in this iconic relic of the game.
A new stadium is on the way in Milan. The project is called ‘The Cathedral’ and is modelled on the city’s two most famous buildings – the Duomo di Milano and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. However it turns out, nothing will be able to replace the sheer awe-inspiring sight of the original San Siro.
Like some strange kind of optical illusion, it appears to look the same from all sides, not changing in shape as you circumvent it, with those colossal staircases seemingly leading all the way to the sky.
Inside the ground, those famous turrets dominate, where you can imagine some Lord keeping an eye on his serfs below. From Jurgen Klopp’s position pitchside, he must have been wondering if the old stadium, even with a reduced capacity in these Covid times, was too much for his players to take in as they looked shaky early on.
Lautaro Martinez fired just wide as Inter started brightly, aided by Liverpool’s mistakes, before Sadio Mane headed over from a good position.
Hakan Calhanoglu – who did the unthinkable and defected across enemy lines from AC Milan in the summer – then was afforded too much space in the box, with his strike coming out off the underside of the crossbar. A warning that Inter, back in the knockout stages for the first time in a decade, were to be taken seriously.
Liverpool had nine shots at goal in the first half, three higher than their average per game in this season’s competition, but none were on target, or even remotely threatening for that matter.
Diogo Jota especially struggled to make an impact, and with the forward options Klopp now has at his disposal, such a lacklustre showing, even from someone in fine form, will not be tolerated. No Liverpool, player gave the ball away more than the Portuguese forward’s 12 occasions in the first half.
Not normally one to make knee-jerk substitutions, Klopp had seen enough, hauling Jota off at half time, with Roberto Firmino the man to come on.
Three further changes followed, as Klopp flexed his muscles. Young Harvey Elliot, a surprise starter, was another who perhaps looked out of his depth, with Jordan Henderson’s experience needed on the biggest stage, while Diaz entered the fray to dazzle and bewilder.
Whatever he tried, it wasn’t having any effect. The feeling of frustration was palpable all around, as fans spilled forward at every cross that flashed across the face of the Liverpool goal, or header that flashed wide. Liverpool were there for the taking.
Inter (3-5-2)
- Samir Handanovic – 5
- Milan Skriniar – 7
- Stefan De Vrij – 6
- Alessandro Bastoni – 6
- Denzel Dumfries – 6
- Arturo Vidal – 7
- Marcelo Brozovic – 6
- Hakan Calhanoglu – 7
- Ivan Perisic – 6
- Edin Dzeko – 6
- Lautaro Martinez – 6
Substitutes:
- Federico Dimarco – 6
- Roberto Gagliardini – 6
- Matteo Darmian – 6
- Andrea Ranocchia – 6
- Alexis Sanchez – 5
Liverpool (4-3-3)
- Alisson – 7
- Trent Alexander-Arnold – 6
- Ibrahima Konate – 7
- Virgil Van Dijk – 7
- Andy Robertson – 8
- Harvey Elliott – 6
- Fabinho – 7
- Thiago Alcantara – 7
- Mo Salah – 8
- Diogo Jota – 6
- Sadio Mane – 6
Substitutes:
- Roberto Firmino – 7
- Luis Diaz – 6
- Jordan Henderson – 6
- Naby Keita – 6
- James Milner – 6
The floor was being banged with some vigour as further openings went begging, as the home fans knew what was coming.
A header from Firmino was not how Liverpool fans would have envisaged seeing their side take the lead, but celebrate with vigour they did as the Brazilian timed a leap that John Toshack would have been proud of before flicking the ball into the far corner.
The mistakes crept in for Inter with their guard beaten down by that opener, and as they failed to clear Trent Alexander-Arnold’s long ball, which Virgil van Dijk had knocked down, Mohamed Salah, otherwise barely involved, fired home, via a deflection to put the game, and likely the tie, to bed, the Egyptian becoming only the second player to score in eight consecutive away Champions League matches behind yes, you guessed it, Cristiano Ronaldo.
A smash and grab Italian job in a misty Milan. They won’t make films about this match in a hurry, but Klopp won’t care one bit.
This was a potential “banana skin”, as has crept into his vernacular of late, and by hook or by crook, Liverpool emerged with one and a half feet in the last eight. They will find their top gear once again, but even in second they can still garner positive results.
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/AHNRiPF
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