Lautaro scored a goal that was not worth the pass for Inter
- Lautaro gave the victory to the Negriazules, who were left with ten the following minute when Alexis Sánchez saw the second yellow card
- Liverpool hit the woodwork three times and qualified thanks to 0-2 in the first leg
In search of its seventh Champions League, Liverpool will not miss the quarterfinals of this edition. Despite the fact that Inter won 0-1 this Tuesday at Anfield in the round of 16 thanks to a goal from Lautaro Martínez (who had not scored in 490 days in European competition), Jürgen Klopp’s team asserted the 0-2 that managed in the first leg at San Siro to get his pass. Liverpool had not lost at Anfield since March 7, 2021 (0-1 against Fulham with a goal from Lemina).
Up to 3 times Liverpool crashed the ball into the wood. The Anfield team was not fine in terms of aim. Inter, meanwhile, started well, with personality, putting pressure on the ‘reds’, seeking to exploit Trent Alexander-Arnold’s back, knowing that he had to come out with ambition if he wanted to come back from the tie. The black and blue team started better than the ‘red’.
But the best chances of the first half came from Liverpool: a Joel Matip header to the crossbar, a good header from Virgil van Dijk (saved by MilanSkriniar) and a shot from Alexander-Arnold that went wide. For Inter, a shot by Hakan Çalhanoglu, which Alisson Becker deflected in a great save.
Already in the second half, Lautaro advanced to Inter scoring in the 62nd minute. The Argentine striker scored a great goal, thanks to a spectacular shot, by the entire squad, after Joel Matip lost the ball.
But the hopes that Lautaro’s goal gave Inter began to crumble the following minute, in 63′, when the Negriazules remained outnumbered when Alexis Sánchez received a second yellow card for a hard tackle on Thiago Alcántara, who reappeared after being injured in the final of the Carabao Cup against Chelsea.
Inter were unable to complete their comeback in a match in which Liverpool hit the woodwork 3 times. If in the first half it was Joel Matip who sent the ball to the crossbar with a header (in the 31st minute), in the second Mohamed Salah crashed the ball into the post after a bad start by Samir Handanovic, Inter goalkeeper ( in 52′) and repeated after a great pass from Sadio Mané (in 76′). Luis Díaz had in his boots the equalizer already in discount. Inter will not be able to fight for its fourth Champions League.
Key Opta facts
– Liverpool have reached the Champions League quarter-final stage for the fourth time in the last five seasons, failing only in 2019-20 in this time (eliminated at last-16 stage).
– Inter have been eliminated from each of their last three Champions League knockout stage ties, falling at the 2010-11 quarter-final, 2011-12 last 16 and this season’s last 16.
– The Reds suffered their first home defeat in 29 matches across all competitions (W21 D7) since losing to Fulham over a year ago in March 2021.
– The visitors enjoyed their first away win over an English side in any competition since March 2010 against Chelsea, ending a run of four straight defeats in the country.
– Sanchez is the first Inter player to receive a red card in the knockout stages of the Champions League since Cristian Chivu against Schalke in April 2011.
Match Fact
LIVERPOOL: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, C. Jones (Keita, 65′), Thiago (Henderson, 65′); Salah, Diogo Jota (L. Díaz, 83′) and Mané
INTER: andanovic; Brozovic (Gagliardini, 75′), Bastoni, De Vrij (D’Ambrosio, 46′), Skriniar; Dumfries (Darmian, 75′), Vidal, Çalhanoglu (Vecino, 83′), Perisic; Lautaro Martínez (Correa, 75′) and Alexis Sánchez
GOAL: 0-1, Lautaro (62′)
Referee: Mateu Lahoz (Spain)
Cards: RED: Alexis Sánchez (45′ and 63′) YELLOW: Diogo Jota (40′ ), Vidal (45′), Robertson (46′), Mané (70′), Bastoni (85′), Gagliardini (94′)
Spectators: 51,747 at Anfield
What’s next?
Liverpool switch focus back to the Premier League on Saturday with a trip to Brighton, while Inter head to Torino in Serie A on Sunday.
