By AFP
Who: Inter Milan vs Liverpool
What: UEFA Champions League – League phase, match day 6
Where: San Siro Stadium, Milan, Italy
When: Tuesday at 9pm (20:00 GMT)
In-form Inter Milan host struggling Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) on Tuesday with the Reds underwhelming defence of their Premier League crown turning from bad to worse with disgruntled superstar player Mohamed Salah hinting at an exit from the club after claims of being scapegoated for the teams recent run of bad performances.
Liverpool currently sits ninth on the domestic league ladder – 10 points behind leaders Arsenal – and their squad for their UCL tie against Inter was weakened further when it was announced that Salah would not travel with the team to Italy.
Inter have recovered from a slow start to the Serie A football season – where they lost two of their first three fixtures – to storm back into title contention. The Nerazzurri now sit second on the table – just a point behind reigning champions Napoli after 14 rounds.
For Inter coach Cristian Chivu, a win against Liverpool at the San Siro could secure direct qualification for the Italian mega club in the last-16 of the Champions League.
Where do Inter and Liverpool sit on the Champions League ladder?
After five of the eight match days so far, Inter sits fourth on the ladder with a record of four wins and one loss. They were undefeated in the competition until a tough 2-1 loss in their last fixture at Atletico Madrid on November 26.
Liverpool is currently 13th with three wins and two losses, and is situated outside the top-eight placing required for automatic qualification into the next phase of the tournament. The Reds defeated 15-time UCL champions Real Madrid 1-0 on November 4 – but were then humiliated 4-1 at Anfield by Dutch side PSV in their last match on November 26.
Mohamed Salah in action.
Mo Salah trains with his teammates in Liverpool on Monday before their trip to Milan [Jason Cairnduff/Reuters]
Salah left out of Liverpool squad after criticising club
Salah trained with the club at the AXA Training Centre in Liverpool on Monday, leading to speculation that he might still make the trip to Italy. However, it was confirmed by the club later in the day that Egyptian international would not travel with the team.
His omission from the side came after the 33-year-old said he had been “thrown under the bus” as he tore into the club over his treatment and signalled a potential exit, after watching from the bench for the third straight match in the draw at Leeds on Saturday.
In his incendiary post-match comments, the Egyptian international lashed out at the club and coach Arne Slot, telling journalists he felt he had been scapegoated for their poor start to the season and suggesting that he may not have long left at Anfield.
