Liverpool did not move for in-demand central defender Dayot Upamecano last summer as Bayern Munich won the race for his signature.
Upacamecano explained his decision to stay in the Bundesliga as he swapped RB Leipzig for champions Bayern while rejecting interest from Premier League clubs, including the Reds.
Liverpool instead landed Upamecano’s former Leipzig defensive partner Ibrahima Konate and Wednesday night’s Champions League action justified that transfer decision.
Konate put in a commanding performance alongside Virgil van Dijk in the heart of defence in Jurgen Klopp’s side – who kept a clean sheet and took a commanding lead in the tie against Inter in the Round of 16 of the Champions League.
On the same night, Upamecano was dropped from Bayern Munich’s side for their trip to Red Bull Salzburg at the same stage – a game which ended 1-1.
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The French defender has not started and completed a full 90 minutes for Bayern Munich since December 17 – a run which will now stretch over two months.
Niklas Sule – who is out of contract at Bayern this summer and joining Borussia Dortmund – started in the heart of back three and was flanked by Lucas Hernandez and Benjamin Pavard.
Upamecano’s time in Bavaria has been a tough one and he has recently been criticised by Bayern legend Lothar Matthaus.
The former Germany captain claimed the "price-performance ratio" for both Upamecano and Hernandez meant that the two were unsuccessful transfers.
Matthaus went further on Upamecano, claiming that he appeared to be playing in a "foreign body" this season compared to his RB Leipzig days and questioned how long Bayern should show patience in him.
That led to Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic hitting back at Matthaus this week on DAZN: "Of course Lothar has to say something. Of course, he's an expert.
"I'm not interested in what Lothar says, I don't care.
"We stand by our players and we talk to them.
"But I don't give a damn about what Lothar says."
Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann also singled out Upamecano for criticism when critiquing a consolation goal that his side had conceded against Bochum in a Bundesliga match last month.
"That goal was completely avoidable. If I were 95 kilos and very fast, I'd control the ball, dribble another meter or two and see what happens,” Nagelsmann told TV station DAZN after the game.
"At some point, [Steven] Jovetic has to put pressure on the goalkeeper, and you might be able to play the ball to your centre-back partner.
"But you stay on the ball for now. Playing the ball directly coming out of the back and bouncing.... That's always difficult.
"I'm a fan of just doing things with control. There was no big pressure. Just put the ball down and see what the opponent does. It's 4-0, mind you, so you can play a bit more controlled.
Upamecano spent four-and-a-half seasons in the Bundesliga with Leipzig prior to joining Bayern last year, opting to reject Premier League interest.
“I was sure relatively quickly that I wanted to stay in Germany and in the Bundesliga,” the defender said at the time.
“I like it here, the level of the games, the fans, the stadiums.
“When FC Bayern gets in touch, you are really proud. It doesn’t get much higher, especially when you’ve played in Leipzig before.”
Bayern remain six points clear at the top of the Bundesliga while they will host Red Bull Salzburg in Munich in their return leg on 8 March.
