Massimiliano Allegri believes Liverpool’s greater experience was key in Wednesday’s 2-0 Champions League victory over Inter Milan at the San Siro, speaking to Tuttomercatoweb.
Seven of the 11 players Jurgen Klopp put out on Wednesday night lifted ‘Ol Big Ears’ back in 2019. Thiago Alcantara, meanwhile, was part of the Bayern Munich side who usurped Liverpool as Champions of Europe one year later.
So that elite-level know-how was always likely to come in handy as the Reds travelled to an Inter Milan side playing their first Champions League knock-out game since going down 1-0 to an Andre Ayew-inspired Marseille in 2012.
Diego Forlan, Maicon and Walter Samuel started for the Nerazzurri that night at the Stade Velodrome. That alone should give you some sort of an idea about how much time has passed since Inter graced this stage of the competition.
Not that you’d have known it, with Simone Inzaghi’s side producing what he described as their best performance of the season.
Even that was not enough to claim a result, however. Late, smash-and-grab goals from Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah mean Liverpool will have a 2-0 lead to defend at Anfield.
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“We must congratulate Inter for how they played,” reflects Allegri, the head coach of Inter’s Serie A rivals Juventus.
“They faced a team that was better at managing the match in the Champions League and with more experience.”
Allegri does point out, however, that Liverpool are not home and dry just yet.
After UEFA abolished the ‘away goals rule’, a 2-0 advantage going into the home leg doesn’t quite carry the same impenetrable feel as before.
“The Champions League has changed a bit,” says Allegri, who tasted defeat in the 2017 final against Real Madrid.
“Also with the fact that the away goal is no longer worth double. Anything can happen in European matches.
“But PSG, Bayern Munich, the English (Liverpool and Manchester City) and Real Madrid are the favourites.”
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