Materazzi: Inter can repeat 2010 Champions League success

 

Former Inter Milan defender, Marco Materazzi believes the Nerazzurri can repeat the success recorded in 2010 when they eliminated Chelsea, by doing the same to favourites Liverpool.

Inter had won the Italia Serie A, Coppa Italia, and the UEFA Champions League under Jose Mourinho in 2010.

They will have to keep the dream alive they meet Chelsea in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 tie kicks off at San Siro today.

This is their first meeting in a knockout round in this tournament in a decade.

The world cup winner pointed out that playing with the Inter jersey in the Champions League is the best thing, adding that San Siro transforms in games of this calibre.

Materazzi calls for an atmosphere, saying such will be fundamental not to show weakness in the first leg, knowing how deadly Liverpool are on the counter-attack.

Although, away goals no longer count as double in the competition after UFA amended the rule this season. Thus, if the overall aggregate score is level, there will be extra time and probably a penalty to determine the winner.

Noting that Liverpool are the toughest opponents Inter could’ve drawn, Materazzi is reminiscent of what happened against Chelsea in the Round of 16 in 2010.

Having faced them in a pre-season friendly in Pasadena, and they played a draw, he wondered how the English team could be defeated as they were on another level.

But at the end of the day, Inter Milan qualified, but it was not easy.

He added that a win against the two-time Champions League winner can be a fundamental push for the rest of the season.

It could be recalled that the Serie A defending champion won the first leg 2-1 at San Siro and then went on to win 1-0 at Stamford Bridge, thanks to a Samuel Eto’o goal, while Didier Drogba saw red late on.

 

Written by: Oladipupo Mojeed