Is Liverpool still a major rival that Inter fears?

09/12/2025 07:55:00 VictoryVox

Under Cristian Chivu, Inter seems to lose focus easily when facing top opponents, yet their issues are minor compared to Liverpool, who have lost all traces of the English champion image.

The past weekend highlighted the stark contrast between the two teams. In Serie A, Inter dominated the surprising Como 4-0 in their best performance so far this season, whereas in the Premier League, Liverpool embarrassingly settled for a 3-3 draw at Leeds despite holding a two-goal lead—a draw that felt more like a loss.

Inter’s Naivety

Under Chivu’s leadership, Inter is a ruthless destroyer against smaller teams. Their win against Como and the 5-1 thrashing of Venezia in the Italian Cup a few days earlier prove this. The attack, led by Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram, functions smoothly, regularly firing shots at the opposition’s goal. However, when facing strong teams, Inter turns into naive apprentices.

Since the start of the season, Inter has lost all three direct Serie A encounters against Milan (0-1), Juventus (3-4), and Napoli (1-3). Broadening the scope, in the past 18 months, Inter has failed to beat these three teams in 12 meetings (7 losses, 5 draws). In the Champions League, their away trip to Atletico Madrid ended in a painful 1-2 defeat with a last-minute goal, caused by mistakes in spirit, tactics, and individual errors.

These are the main issues Inter faces in big matches. Spirit-wise, Inter often lacks dominance and becomes overwhelmed as the game progresses. Tactically, Chivu’s aggressive attacking style proves ineffective against experienced and resilient opponents. Individually, goalkeeper Yann Sommer is a critical weak spot, and other stars falter under pressure (Calhanoglu missed a penalty, Lautaro was too subdued).

However, Inter is currently preparing better than ever in terms of mindset and squad. The return of veteran Henrikh Mkhitaryan from a serious thigh injury suffered in the Napoli loss is a big boost. Additionally, Denzel Dumfries might return on the right flank, bringing the dynamism Inter has missed in recent matches, especially in the 0-1 loss to Milan.

Facing a crisis-hit Liverpool offers Inter a chance to overcome their fear of big matches.

Liverpool’s Collapse from Inside Out

While Inter mainly struggles psychologically, Liverpool is undergoing a complete breakdown. The reigning Premier League champions have won only 4 of their last 15 games, losing 9. Liverpool’s defense is as fragile as soap bubbles, conceding 14 goals in the last 6 matches, averaging 2.3 per game, while their attack has scored just 7.

But the real disaster is in the dressing room, where a bomb named Mohamed Salah has just exploded. The Egyptian star’s statements after the Leeds draw exposed the deep rot inside the Reds. Salah, benched for the third consecutive game, openly accused the club of "throwing him under the bus," declared his relationship with coach Arne Slot completely broken, and hinted at a possible departure in January 2026.

"I don’t know why this is happening. It seems someone doesn’t want me at the club anymore," Salah said with the tone of a wounded animal. He is almost certainly going to miss the Inter match, and no one knows if he will play for Liverpool again, as the "King of Egypt" will soon leave to compete in the Africa Cup of Nations. When that tournament ends in mid-January 2026, he may no longer be a Kop player.

Liverpool is essentially a paper tiger now, but history teaches us never to underestimate them in European competition. Two rounds ago, despite a similar crisis of confidence, they convincingly defeated Real Madrid 1-0. However, the recent 1-4 home loss to PSV confirmed that Liverpool is nothing when morale is low. In Italy, confidence might return to Slot’s squad thanks to their good Champions League record against Inter, with victories in 2008 and 2022 at San Siro.

What scenario awaits at San Siro tonight? While some believe Liverpool players are deliberately underperforming to "topple" Slot, Inter desperately needs 3 points not only to move closer to their Top 8 goal but also to regain confidence in big games.

03:00 on 10/12, Barcelona vs Frankfurt: Return to Camp Nou

Barcelona will play their first Champions League home match at Camp Nou since the stadium was closed for renovation in summer 2023. Half a month ago, they thrashed Athletic Bilbao 4-0 in their La Liga return to Camp Nou, and similar joy is expected tonight.

Barca has everything in their favor to aim for victory. Their excellent form in La Liga places them comfortably at the top of the table, 4 points ahead of Real Madrid after their archrivals continue to struggle inexplicably. Barca’s attack is more explosive than ever, scoring 25 goals in their last 8 matches. Conversely, Frankfurt has performed poorly in the Champions League, conceding 14 goals in just 5 games. Barca has won all 3 matches at the renovated Camp Nou, scoring 10 goals.

However, the Champions League is a harsh arena. After a humiliating 0-3 defeat at Chelsea in the previous round, Barca has only 7 points from 5 matches and must win at all costs to avoid the risk of elimination.

Nguyen Vinh

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