Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate were the only Liverpool players ‘superior’ to their Inter Milan opponents during Wednesday’s 2-0 Champions League victory at San Siro, Esteban Cambiasso tells Sky Italia.
We’re used to seeing Jurgen Klopp’s flying full-backs wreak havoc in the final third these days.
But, as Liverpool hung on during a frantic encounter with the Serie A champions, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson found themselves in a somewhat unfamiliar situation. Chasing back towards their own goal, their hearts beating that little bit faster than usual.
Ivan Perisic roasted Alexander-Arnold down the Inter left. Simone Inzaghi’s ‘man for the big occasion’ once again saving his best form for elite opposition.
Denzel Dumfries caused his fair share of problems too, only a perfectly-timed Ibrahima Konate interception denying Edin Dzeko a tap-in following one of the Dutchman’s trademark marauding runs.
“Dumfries and Perisic were, for a large part, superior to Robertson and Alexander-Arnold,” says Cambiasso, a key cog in Jose Mourinho’s 2010 treble-winning team.
“But, even in the middle of the field, Inter did well.”
Can Liverpool win the Champions League again?
While Liverpool’s full-backs endured difficult evenings against the most prolific side in Serie A, Konate and the masterful Virgil van Dijk stood strong. Like two proud oaks at the heart of Klopp’s overworked backline.
You could almost see Lautaro Martinez’s quaking as he squared up to Van Dijk in the first-half. His confidence draining faster than a knock-off battery.
“The only superiority of the Reds was between the two central defenders,” Cambiasso adds.
“It is no coincidence that the decline of Liverpool (last season) coincided in the period in which Van Dijk was out of action due to the injury.”
The history books will not remember Perisic’s relentless string of pinpoint crosses. It won’t remember all the times Alexander-Arnold was caught out of position.
What it will recall, however, is that Liverpool rode out a storm and triumphed 2-0. Their second win at the iconic San Siro stadium in the last two months.
Roberto Firmino’s superb glancing header was followed almost immediately by Mo Salah’s deflected second.
This means, even without ‘away goals’ Liverpool have one foot and at least two toes in the Champions League quarter-finals.
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