(Football news) Liverpool face Inter Milan in what is a crucial encounter for both sides to decide the outcome of their season. The Reds were one of three teams in the Champions League who completed the group stage with a 100% record, while Inter finished second behind Real Madrid in the group stage. For the first time in a decade, Inter Milan will be competing in the knockout rounds of the Champions League and their progression into the next stage will be a difficult task especially when they have to overcome one of the tournament favourites Liverpool over two legs.

Inter head into the contest not in great form as they have lost their lead in the Serie A title after dropping points against their title challengers. Since the 2003-04 campaign, Inter have been eliminated thrice and all of them were against English opposition subsequently all three of these have been in the last 16, suffering defeat against Liverpool in 2007-08, Manchester United in 2008-09 and finally losing to Chelsea in 2009-10. One thing going in favour for Inter is that they have lost only three of their 30 competitive matches at the San Siro across all competitions since the beginning of 2021.

Liverpool extended their winning run across all competitions to six matches with a slender 1-0 win against relegation-threatened Burnley and the Redsl now turn their attention to the Champions League, hoping to improve on their last two knockout performances in the competition. Since winning their 6th Champions League in 2018-19, Liverpool have been eliminated in the last 16 by Atletico Madrid in 2019-20 and then losing to Real Madrid in the quarter-finals last season. 

This year, Klopp's side have been in rampant form, scoring 17 goals and winning all six of their group stage matches, which included victories against Inter's rivals AC Milan. For Liverpool, there will be welcome returns for Salah and Mane into the playing XI as Diogo Jota should be in contention to start despite beginning on the bench against Burnley. Inter will be without Joaquin Correa and Robin Gosens as they continue to recover from thigh injuries, while Nicolo Barella is suspended for the game following his dismissal against Real Madrid.

Bayern take on RB Salzburg away from home as the club from Munich start off as the favourites to progress into the quarter-finals. RB Salzburg became the first Austrian side in Champions League history to reach the knockout rounds after they finished second in Group D with 10 points from their six matches. They will take much confidence after Bayern suffered a shock defeat to VFL Bochum as going into the match Salzburg are in top form having extended their lead at the top of the Austrian league to 14 points. 

Bayern were at their rampant best in the group stage, having won all their matches and scored 22 goals and conceded just three. Bayern Munich face an Austrian team in the knockout stages of a European competition for the fourth time in their history as each of their last three two-legged ties, they progressed to the next round, beating Rapid Wien, Austria Wien in successive European Cup campaigns. However, one thing going against them is that Bayern have failed to win any of their three away games against their Austrian counterparts, and relied on their home form to get them over the line. 

For Bayern, Leon Goretzka (knee) and Jamal Musiala (COVID-19) are ruled out as long term absentee Alphonso Davis is on the road to recovery from myocarditis, but the Canadian remains sidelined. Salzburg will be without forward Benjamin Sesko due to a muscle injury and the joins the likes of Zlatko Junuzovic (heel), Albert Vallci (Achilles), Bryan Okoh, Bernardo, Sekou Koita and Ousmane Diakite (all knee) who are all out of this fixture.

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