Inter Milan vs Liverpool
UEFA Champions League
Date: Wednesday, 16 February 2022
Kick-off at 20:00 UK/ 21:00 CET
Venue: Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.
On Wednesday, Liverpool and Inter Milan will face off in a thrilling UEFA Champions League Round-of-16 first leg clash at the San Siro.
The knockout phases of the UEFA Champions League for 2021-22 are begun, and fans will be treated to a massive battle on Wednesday night when Premier League heavyweights Liverpool travel to Italy to face Serie A champions Inter Milan.
Liverpool breezed through the first round of the Champions League, winning all six of their games in a tough Group B that included Atletico Madrid, FC Porto, and AC Milan. In a couple of games, the Reds were put to the test, but they showed remarkable grit and desire to advance to the knockout stages. Jurgen Klopp’s side are on a six-game winning streak, with their most recent victory coming against Burnley in the Premier League.
Inter Milan came in second place in Group D, behind Real Madrid. The Nerazzurri had a few jitters along the way, with Sheriff Tiraspol threatening to upset the apple cart, but they eventually came out on top with three victories and a draw. Simone Inzaghi’s squad has lost three of their last six games in all competitions (D2 L1), with their most recent match ending in a 1-1 tie with Napoli.
This will be the first meeting between Liverpool and Inter Milan since the Reds defeated the Italians in the knockout stages of the 2008 Champions League. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams ahead of their most recent meeting.
Inter Milan vs Liverpool Head to head :
- The latest encounter had ended in a 0-1 win for Liverpool.
- They have a 100% winning record in the 21st century.
- Not once have they conceded a goal in the past six decades.
- In fact, the last they lost against Inter was back in 1965.
Inter Milan vs Liverpool Prediction :
Inter Milan’s recent form has dwindled, with the club having lost two of their past three games across all competitions. Liverpool, on the other hand, is on a six-game winning streak and has demonstrated the capacity to grind out results even when things are difficult.
With Diogo Jota likely to replace Roberto Firmino in the starting lineup, they should have more bite in attack than they did against Burnley in the previous game. The Portuguese have enough quality, together with Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, to cause problems for Inter Milan’s defense.
In the UEFA Champions League, the Nerazzurri have won only three of their previous 11 home games, and their record is unlikely to change on Wednesday. Jurgen Klopp’s side are expected to win by a slim margin, putting them in a solid position to advance to the next round.
Inter Milan vs Liverpool Team News :
Inter Milan will be without Joaquin Correa and Robin Gosens due to thigh ailments, while Nicolo Barella is suspended after being sent off against Real Madrid in their last group game.
Furthermore, Aleksandar Kolarov is ineligible to participate after being dropped from the club’s Champions League squad, allowing January arrivals Gosens and Felipe Caicedo to play. Stefano Sensi, who joined Sampdoria on loan last month, is the other player who has been removed.
Alessandro Bastoni is presently serving a domestic suspension, but the Italian is allowed to play in midweek and is set to start with Stefan De Vrij and Milan Skriniar on the left side of a back three, replacing Federico Dimarco.
Former Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko, who has scored in each of his previous three matches against Liverpool, is poised to partner Lautaro Martinez in attack, with Alexis Sanchez a bench option.
Arturo Vidal, who has only played five games this season, is anticipated to replace Barella in central midfield, where he will be joined by Marcelo Brozovic and Hakan Calhanoglu.
After last weekend’s success at Turf Moor, Klopp may make one or two changes to his starting lineup, with the likes of Thiago Alcantara, Naby Keita, and James Milner all vying for a spot alongside Jordan Henderson and Fabinho in central midfield.
Despite starting on the bench against Burnley due to a dead leg suffered in the build-up, Diogo Jota should be in contention to start.
With January addition Luis Diaz set to start on the bench, the Portugal international may replace Roberto Firmino in the starting XI, joining Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane in a fearsome front three.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip, Virgil van Dijk, and Andrew Robertson will form a back four to protect goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
Inter Milan possible starting lineup:
Handanovic; Skriniar, De Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Vidal, Brozovic, Calhanoglu, Perisic; Martinez, Dzeko
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago; Salah, Jota, Mane
