Rio Ferdinand was impressed by Inter Milan in their Champions League last 16 clash with Liverpool, believing the Italians played better football than the Reds over both games, despite exiting the competition.
Inter won 1-0 at Anfield on Tuesday, but after losing 2-0 at the San Siro last month they see their Champions League campaign come to an end before the quarter-final stage.
Simone Inzaghi’s team were very good in the first leg and would have felt bad to lose it 2-0, while they were good again at Liverpool, but the Reds had more chances, hitting the woodwork three times.
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It was a hard fought and evenly matched tie over two legs, but Ferdinand felt Inter were better in terms of quality, but they cost themselves the second leg when Alexis Sanchez was sent off in the second half.
The Chilean was shown a second yellow only two minutes after Lautaro Martinez put Inter Milan ahead, and that allowed the home team to control the final half hour of the game.
‘I think Sanchez’s sending off really ended all their hopes, Inter,’ Ferdinand told BT Sport.
‘They’d done fabulously well to get back into the game. Over the two legs I think they’ve played the best football of the two teams.
‘They haven’t had the cutting edge, that’s what has been lacking. If they had the cutting edge with the football they’ve been playing, they’re going to be a problem.
‘In the second half I thought they gave it a really good go before the goal.
‘You then think, “Oh my God, Anfield’s silenced and it’s going to be a real, real battle for Liverpool to make sure they stay ahead towards the end of the game.”
‘Then within a minute of the goal it’s a red card and ended all hopes of Inter going through.’
