The Reds, jostled for more than an hour, got on the road to the quarter-finals in the last quarter of an hour thanks to a deviation from the head of Roberto Firmino (75th) then a recovery from the inevitable Mohamed Salah (83rd).

With this 8th goal of the season in C1, Salah the great traveler (scorer in the last eight meetings of the Reds in C1) consolidated the seventh victory in seven matches of the Reds, this season, on the European scene.

The joy of Liverpool's Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah, after scoring the second goal against Inter Milan, in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League, on February 16, 2022 at the San Siro Stadium Filippo MONTEFORTE AFP

Inter Milan, for its first appearance at this stage of the C1 for ten years, has however done better than resist.

She might even have made Liverpool doubt and changed the direction of this intense match with a little luck, when Hakan Cahanoglu saw his shot hit the bar early in the game.

For the Nerazzurri, the task looks almost impossible on March 8 at Anfield.

They will be able to console themselves by saying that they will have been up to this gala round of 16, one of only two with Benfica-Ajax to oppose two former winners.

Because Nerazzurri and Reds went blow for blow, during an exciting opposition, with intense duels and a ball traveling quickly from one goal to another from the first minutes.

Bosnian striker of Inter Milan Edin Dzeko, in the fight with the Dutch captain and defender of Liverpool Virgil van Dijk, during the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League, February 16, 2022 at the San Siro Stadium Filippo MONTEFORTE AFP

lesson in realism

In addition to a big scare when Calhanoglu's attempt bounced off his bar (16th), Alisson Becker was not unhappy to have seen an attempt by Lautaro Martinez (5th) and a header from Milan Skriniar go past his cage (40th).

Arturo Vidal did not save himself to forget Nicolo Barella, the great absentee on the Nerazzurro side, suspended for the double confrontation against the English.

The Reds, where Jürgen Klopp had played the youth card by establishing Harvey Elliott, 18, who had just returned from a long injury (broken ankle), were not left out.

But they first missed the target, on a shot from Thiago Alcántara (9th), a header then a return from Sadio Mané (14th, 23rd) and a free kick from Trent Alexander-Arnold (29th).

Salah having been well muzzled during this first act, Jürgen Klopp quickly changed plans by launching Roberto Firmino as soon as the recovery took place, in place of Diogo Jota.

Egyptian striker of Liverpool Mohamed Salah, in the fight with the defender of Inter Milan Alessandro Bastoni, during the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League, February 16, 2022 at the San Siro Stadium Filippo MONTEFORTE AFP

Inter again deceived for twenty minutes, with in particular a burning cross from the untenable Ivan Perisic (53rd).

But with new changes Liverpool gradually gained the upper hand and Inter ended up cracking, on a corner deflected by Firmino, then on the ball taken over by Mohamed Salah as a fox from the surfaces.

Liverpool's Brazilian midfielder Roberto Firmino (c) is congratulated by his teammates after opening the scoring against Inter Milan in the Champions League Round of 16 first leg on February 16, 2022 at the San Siro Filippo Stadium MONTEFORTE AFP

As against Real Madrid in the group stage, Inter took a lesson in realism.

© 2022 AFP