Liverpool and Inter Milan will square off in a tense UEFA Champions League Round-of-16 first leg tie at San Siro this midweek.
The knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League are underway, and fans will be treated to a massive clash on Wednesday night when Premier League giants Liverpool travel to Italy to face Serie A champions Inter Milan.
Liverpool breezed through the first round of the European Championship, winning all six of their games in a difficult Group B that included Atletico Madrid, FC Porto, and AC Milan. The Reds were made to work hard in a couple of games, but they came out on great grit and determination to power through to the knockouts. Jurgen Klopp's side enters the game on a six-game winning streak, having most recently defeated Burnley 1-0 in the Premier League.
Inter Milan finished second in Group D, trailing only Real Madrid. The Nerazzurri had a few jitters along the way, with Sheriff Tiraspol threatening to upset the apple cart, but they eventually cruised through with three wins and a draw. Simone Inzaghi's team has lost three of their last six games in all competitions (D2 L1), and they were held to a 1-1 draw by Napoli in their most recent match.
This will be the first meeting between Liverpool and Inter Milan since the Reds defeated the Italians in the knockout stages in 2008. Ahead of their latest meeting, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams.
Team News & Tactics
Inter Milan
Inter Milan will be without the services of summer signing Joaquin Correa and January arrival Robin Gosens, both of whom are injured. Furthermore, key midfielder Nicolo Barella will be absent due to suspension. Despite recent results going against his team, Simone Inzaghi is unlikely to change his preferred 3-5-2 formation.
Edin Dzeko, who has had success against Liverpool in recent meetings, is expected to lead the attack, with Argentine striker Lautaro Martinez partnering him. From the bench, Alexis Sanchez and Felipe Caicedo will be options.
Liverpool have no major injury concerns heading into the game, with captain Jordan Henderson recovering from a knock he suffered against Burnley on Saturday. Jurgen Klopp has a full-strength squad for the trip to Milan, thanks to the return of Divock Origi.
Fabinho, who scored the game's only goal last weekend, is a foregone conclusion at the base of the midfield. It will be up to him to effectively break up attacks and recycle possession.
While Henderson recovers, Klopp may opt to start Thiago Alcantara in place of Henderson against Inter Milan. Naby Keita should keep his starting spot, with Harvey Elliott available off the bench.
Moving forward, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane are almost certain to start for the visiting side from the start. Luis Diaz, who joined the team in January, could see some time on the bench again. Diogo Jota should take over the central attacking role from the ineffective Roberto Firmino.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson; Thiago, Fabinho, Keita; Salah, Jota, Mane
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Liverpool breezed through the first round of the European Championship, winning all six of their games in a difficult Group B that included Atletico Madrid, FC Porto, and AC Milan. The Reds were made to work hard in a couple of games, but they came out on great grit and determination to power through to the knockouts. Jurgen Klopp's side enters the game on a six-game winning streak, having most recently defeated Burnley 1-0 in the Premier League. 
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