Liverpool's hopes of reaching the Champions League quarterfinals increased considerably on Wednesday evening after they left the San Siro with a 2-0 away win against Inter Milan.
The Reds waiting until the final quarter of an hour before a Roberto Firmino header and an instinctive Mo Salah strike gave Jurgen Klopp's side a commanding lead to take back to Anfield.
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It means the Italian champions have got it all to do in the second leg on Merseyside and this is how the Italian Media reacted to what turned out to be a great win for Liverpool on Italian soil.
"In the first leg of the Champions League round of 16, the Nerazzurri hold up well (Calhanoglu's crossbar), but in the final they fall under the blows of Firmino and Salah.
"The San Siro draw, cruel as the men dressed in red, says 0-2: one could think of an English tide that has come to submerge Milan, a Champions League round already decided, but Inter lose to Liverpool well beyond their own demerits.
"He comes out with his head held high despite the bloody score. After all, the atrocious double joke in the final quarter of an hour does not cancel a courageous and proud test: before Firmino guessed the head carom and Salah raged beyond measure, Inzaghi's men had only missed the scratch under the goal.
"However, to win and prolong hope, Anfield will need something more: greater luck, of course, but also greater cynicism."
"This defeat is too severe a punishment for Inter, who play with courage, scares Liverpool by hitting a crossbar with Calhanoglu already on 16 ', but they have to give up in the second half in front of goals from Firmino (who heads ahead of Bastoni) and Salah, good at taking advantage of a not-so-excellent postponement by de Vrij.
"At San Siro it ends 0-2 for the Reds, who do not play the best game of the season. But in the end, as had already happened on 7 December 2021 in the groups against Milan, Meazza breaks through.
"Now it will not be easy for the Nerazzurri on 8 March to overturn the result at Anfield Road, in the Reds' den, and snatch qualification for the quarterfinals.
"Among other things, without Barella in the middle, still disqualified. Inter is a good match. He plays with intensity, creates, but fails to realize his opportunities.
"Liverpool are intimidated, so much so that Jurgen Klopp immediately sends Firmino on the field for Diogo Jota at the interval and after 14 'makes a triple change to fix the team. But it is always Inter who arrive first on the ball and build the game.
"However, football can be ruthless. In the best moment of the Nerazzurri, Firmino unlocks the result. Corner from Robertson, head of the attacker ahead of Bastoni and Reds in the lead. 8 'pass and Salah doubles. And it is too hard a defeat for Simone Inzaghi's team.
"Between the first team of the Italian league and the second of the English Premier there are no two goals of difference, but the difference is there.
"Liverpool are superior for men and playing facilities, have a high and prolonged intensity, have a longer and more qualitative bench and, ultimately, have more ruthlessness in front of goal.
"This is the only way to explain the defeat (0-2) last night at San Siro which, at ninety percent, means Inter's elimination from the Champions League when the round of 16 has just begun.
"Up to the 75th minute, the game was balanced, Inter were never at the mercy of the opponent, in the period of greatest suffering they hit a crossbar with Calhanoglu and then he was able to grow progressively, until he dominated in the initial part of the recovery.
"The goal was missed, the one that Lautaro no longer found and the one that Perisic tried to propitiate with his bucking on the left, putting Alexander-Arnold in serious trouble, a player of great physical strength and educated foot, but tactically lacking especially in the defensive phase.
"In revisiting the game, two details of great importance cannot escape. The first: Liverpool scored two goals on the development of as many set pieces, a corner and a free-kick . The second: to break the deadlock, when there was only a quarter of an hour to go, was the bench (so to speak) Firmino who had taken the place of Diogo Jota at the interval. "
"This means that in the high and stray balls in the area, the Nerazzurri defence was not careful and that the Liverpool team has an infinitely superior quality to that of Inter.
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"In fact, when at game time (59 '), Jurgen Klopp understood that he had to change pace, go back to winning tackles and throw himself back into the opponent's meta, he made three other changes, in addition to that of Firmino. Outside Sadio Manè, Elliott and Fabinho; inside Luis Diaz, Henderson and Keita.
"Simone Inzaghi replied with Sanchez for Martinez and to many - myself included - it seemed like a replacement that could have turned the game on the side of Inter.
"Instead, even after some actions that testified how valid the Nerazzurri's dribble was to get out of the pressing of the English, Inzaghi's team was pierced through a corner kick.
"Robertson went to beat him, Firmino attacked the near post and turned his head to the farthest one.
"Serious indecision of Bastoni who not only lost the opponent by making himself anticipated, but was not even able to unbalance him with the strength of his body."
