Liverpool beat Inter to clinch top eight place after a controversial penalty

Score: Inter Milan 0-1 Liverpool

Liverpool: Dominik Szoboszlai (P) (88')

With the recent controversy surrounding Mohamed Salah, Arne Slot left the Egyptian legend at home. For the first time, Liverpool used both Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak in attack, supported by four midfielders forming a diamond. As for Inter Milan, the Italians did not make many changes, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan replacing Piotr Zieliński in midfield.

At the start of the game, both teams tried to take control but created little danger. The first notable moment was actually a substitution, as Hakan Çalhanoğlu left the field with an injury in the 12th minute. In the 31st minute, Inter made a second substitution when Francesco Acerbi was forced off after a challenge.

Immediately afterward, Ibrahima Konaté headed the ball into the net from a corner, but the goal was ruled out for a handball by Ekitike after a VAR check. Before the break, Alisson denied Lautaro Martínez with an excellent save, and the first half ended goalless. In the second half, there were few highlights as both teams focused on controlling possession.

Arne Slot’s substitutions - Florian Wirtz and Conor Bradley - had not yet made a clear impact. Finally, in the 88th minute, Alessandro Bastoni committed a foul inside the area on Florian Wirtz. After a VAR review and strong protests from Inter Milan, the referee awarded a penalty to Liverpool, and Dominik Szoboszlai converted to open the scoring.

In the remaining minutes, Liverpool focused on protecting their lead. Inter Milan pushed forward and created a few chances but failed to find the equalizer. The match ended 1-0 to Liverpool, securing their fourth win of the 2025/26 Champions League. After six matches, the Reds have 10 points and currently sit in 8th place in the league-phase table, while Inter Milan remain 5th.

After today’s match, Liverpool will face Marseille (away) and Qarabag (home) in their remaining league-phase fixtures. Before that, Szoboszlai and his teammates will return to the Premier League to take on Brighton, Tottenham, and Wolves before the end of 2025.

Inter Milan also face a tight schedule, with upcoming matches against Genoa, Bologna, and Atalanta to close out the year. Cristian Chivu’s side are fighting for the Scudetto, sitting just one point behind the top two teams, currently AC Milan and Napoli.