Inter Milan down but not out

INTER MILAN are looking to the last time they beat Liverpool to prove they can come back from Tuesday’s 2-0 Champions League first leg defeat.

The Serie A leaders lost defender Marco Materazzi to a harsh red card in the first half, but held on until the last five minutes before Dirk Kuyt and Steven Gerrard put the Premier League side in front. Their only previous meeting came in the European Cup semi-final in 1965 when Inter came back from 3-1 down in the Anfield leg to win through 4-3 on aggregate before lifting the trophy.

“We must win 3-0 in the return leg. This Inter has the possibility to do it. Sometimes history repeats itself, so who knows,” Inter boss Roberto Mancini said.

The last 16 first leg defeat was only the second Inter have suffered in all competitions this season having gone down 1-0 at Fenerbahce in their first group game in September.

They were not helped by Materazzi being shown two yellow cards for mere nudges on Liverpool striker Fernando Torres. Fellow centre-back Ivan Cordoba is also doubtful for the second leg after injuring his knee during a battling performance.

Inter striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, unusually quiet at Anfield as the 10 men struggled to get the ball forward, was less than kind towards Materazzi.

“How did it go? You’ll have to ask Materazzi that,” he said.