Italian journalist Luigi Garlando believes that Inter are not necessarily set to struggle against Liverpool in the Champions League as city rivals AC Milan did.
Writing in his column for today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, Garlando predicted that the Nerazzurri have the right characteristics to cope with the Reds.
When Inter’s round of sixteen opponents were revealed to be Liverpool during yesterday’s draw, many felt that they had gotten one of the hardest possible ties that they could have.
Partly this is simply because of the Reds’ overall form this season, but the fact that they had comfortably beaten the Rossoneri twice in the group stage has been pointed to as evidence that Jurgen Klopp’s can easily get the better of any Serie A team.
However, Garlando does not necessarily believe that this is the case, and instead thinks that Inter can keep themselves in the tie on their own merits.
“Inter are more physical than Milan, and Inzaghi have developed a more confident and technical possession game than they had under Conte, they are equipped to withstand the Red storm much better than Milan,” he writes.
“Of course, they will be two ‘hard days’ and they will have to ‘work like dogs,’ as the Beatles would sing, but a miracle will not be needed,” he goes on.
“A good performance will be enough,” he continues, “especially if Salah and Mane come back fatigued from the African Cup of Nations.”
He writes that “Compared to Pioli’s men Inzaghi can field much more experience in front of the Kop. Barella [suspended] and Bastoni are European champions, Perisic and Brozovic played in the last World Cup final.”
“They will show the kind of courage that Mancini’s Inter did not have in the 2007-08 Champions League round of 16,” he adds.
“Thinking of surviving at Anfield just trying to absorb the Reds’ attacks, without giving anything in return, would be tantamount to suicide,” he explains.
He goes on that “Inzaghi has made Conte’s Inter evolve in this sense. San Siro, in the first leg match, must be the inferno of passion that fuelled Facchetti’s Inter comeback in the semifinal of 1964-65.”
“Keep the match in the balance at least,” he concludes, “and then go an play for glory at Anfield.”
