A late Dominik Szoboszlai penalty secured a crucial 1–0 win for Liverpool over Inter Milan at the San Siro, easing pressure on manager Arne Slot after a turbulent week dominated by Mohamed Salah’s shock exclusion.
The decisive moment came in the 88th minute when Alessandro Bastoni was judged, after a VAR review, to have pulled Florian Wirtz inside the box. Szoboszlai drilled the penalty with power beyond Yann Sommer’s outstretched hand to hand Liverpool a victory that moves them into the top eight of the Champions League league phase.
Salah did not travel after accusing the club of “throwing him under the bus,” but the Reds produced a composed, organised performance. Slot opted for a diamond midfield, with Curtis Jones dictating the tempo and Hugo Ekitike partnering Alexander Isak up front.
Liverpool thought they had taken the lead in the first half when Ibrahima Konaté headed home from a corner, but VAR ruled the goal out for a handball by Ekitike in the buildup. Inter responded strongly, with Nicolò Barella firing a free-kick narrowly wide and Lautaro Martínez forcing Alisson into a sharp save.
Sommer kept Inter level at the break with stops from Jones, Szoboszlai and Ekitike, while the hosts suffered setbacks as Piotr Zieliński and Yann Aurel Bisseck limped off before half-time.
The match appeared to be drifting toward Slot’s first goalless draw, but Wirtz—introduced in the 68th minute—made the most of Bastoni’s shirt tug to win the spot-kick. Szoboszlai kept his composure to score his second goal in as many matches and ensure Liverpool left the San Siro victorious for the fourth straight year.
The defeat ends Inter’s 18-match unbeaten home run in the Champions League, dating back to 2022.
Liverpool rise to 12 points from six games, securing a place in the top eight and an automatic spot in the last 16. Inter drop to fifth, despite being level on points with the Reds, and face renewed pressure in the tightly packed standings.
Liverpool Host Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday, before travelling to Marseille on 21 January.
Meanwhile, Inter Welcome Arsenal in their next European fixture on 20 January.
