Premier League outfit, Liverpool and Serie A club, Inter Milan have won the Champions League a total of 9 times in between them
By Kehinde Okeowo
A terrific finish by Lautaro Martinez was not enough for Italian giant Inter Milan at Anfield as the late goals by Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah in the first leg in San Siro three weeks ago proved decisive.
The visitors who thrashed bottom side Salernitana 5-0 over the weekend started the match without their main striker Edin Džeko, who was left on the bench.
The game was a very close encounter in the first half and neither of the sides was able to breach each other’s defence, however, the match was stopped for a few minutes due to a medical emergency in the crowd.
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It was Inter Milan who returned with vigour in the second half and were duly rewarded in the 61st minute when Lautaro Martinez scored a brilliant goal after he was put through by Alexi Sanchez.
But the visitors’ hopes of scoring a second goal and forcing extra-time were dashed when former Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez was sent off just two minutes later for a reckless challenge on Fabinho.
Liverpool were denied a goal by the woodwork three times in the ill-tempered game, Joel Matip headed against the bar, while Salah struck the post twice.
The loss to Inter Milan effectively ended Liverpool’s seven-match winning run in the Champions League but they progressed to the last eight with a 2-1 aggregate success.
The draw for the quarter finals will take place on 18 March in Nyon, Switzerland.
