Team
Slot made four changes to his starting XI in Milan, including Alexander Isak restored in attack.
Liverpool: Alisson, Gomez (Bradley, 68), Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Jones, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Ekitike, Isak (Wirtz, 67).
Unused subs: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Kerkez, Nyoni, Ngumoha, Lucky.
First half
There was a big-occasion atmosphere as the two sides emerged onto the turf at one of European football’s iconic venues.
Play was largely shadowboxing in the early stages, though, with the exchanges interrupted by an injury that forced off Hakan Calhanoglu and a hefty Lautaro Martinez tackle that left Andy Robertson requiring treatment.
Eighteen minutes were on the clock when a goalkeeper was first worked, Yann Sommer in the Inter net shuffling away efforts by Curtis Jones and then Ryan Gravenberch.
Martinez injected urgency to the Inter attack with a dart forward from which he just failed to complete a one-two with Marcus Thuram that likely would have opened up a shooting chance. Gravenberch produced a timely interception inside the Liverpool box.
Next, Hugo Ekitike was foiled at the near post by Sommer having raced onto a knock over the top and jinked around Francesco Acerbi.
The Reds had the ball in the net on 32 minutes, though ultimately to no avail.
Ekitike and Virgil van Dijk challenged at a corner and the ball fell to Ibrahima Konate to nod over the line despite an attempted clearance from Martinez.
A VAR check ensued and after the referee reviewed the incident, he judged a handball had occurred before Konate converted.
