MWednesday February 16, Liverpool fulfilled their mission by dominating Inter Milan (2-0) in Italy, taking a big advantage before the return leg of the knockout stages of the Champions League, which will be less comfortable for Bayern Munich, hanging in Salzburg (1-1). The round of 16 first leg continues on Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 February, with the return of the defending champion, Chelsea, against Lille, or even an Atlético Madrid-Manchester United duel.
After the successes the day before of Paris SG on Real Madrid (1-0) and Manchester City on the ground of Sporting Lisbon (5-0), the surprise of this first week of the final phase of C1 came from Austria, where the Bavarian neighbour, 150 kilometers from Salzburg, was held in check. The “Rekordmeister” had to whip until the 90th minute and a goal from Kingsley Coman to avoid a crushing defeat against an uninhibited Red Bull team.
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A Bayern return match on March 8
It is an important setback for the partners of Robert Lewandowski, intractable in the group stage with six victories. Despite the tenure of four French internationals – Coman, Corentin Tolisso, Benjamin Pavard, Lucas Hernandez, but not Dayot Upamecano – Bayern, winner of the 2020 edition, will not have the right to misstep the return match scheduled for 8 March.
The return leg will present less suspense on the side of Liverpool, in one of the peaks of the round of 16. On the lawn of Inter Milan, the Reds were indeed able to be patient to make the difference, thanks in particular to the coaching of Jürgen Klopp, the German technician not hesitating to bring in four players before the 60th minute. The first entrant, Roberto Firmino, is also the one who unlocked the meeting, with a skilful header at the near post, from a corner (75th).
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Liverpool did not miss their European comeback
It was enough to open the score to release Mohamed Salah, not very dangerous during the meeting, but finally author of his 8th goal in seven C1 matches this season (83rd). Ten days after the CAN final lost by the Egyptian against his partner Sadio Mané’s Senegal, Liverpool did not miss their European comeback. Opposite, the Italian champions vibrated the crossbar of Alisson Becker thanks to Hakan Calhanoglu. But the Lombard club, absent from the final stages of C1 for ten years and the 2011-12 edition, finally cracked in front of its public.
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