Fate sometimes have to admit that Inter, who reached the Champions League knockout round for the first time in 4 years, originally drew the 1/8 final of Jaffa, but due to a dramatic draw error led to a re-draw, and finally met Liverpool, the 1st of the 3 groups that they were most reluctant to face.
The latter had just finished playing AC Milan in the group stage, and in the blink of an eye, he met another team in Milan City.
Everything seemed so coincidental, but it seemed like fate.
On Liverpool's side, just before the match against Inter, Mane and Salah finally finished their journey to the Africa Cup of Nations, and after a brief adjustment with Burnley, they went to Meazza with the team, and intercepted Porto striker Dias from Thettenham Hotspur side in the winter window.
Inter's side will be suspended for both legs due to Barrera's red card in the group stage.
In between, some things are actually doomed.
Without Barrera, Inzaghi Jr. can only put the 35-year-old Vidal in the right midfield and play the strongest line.
On the Liverpool side, Klopp placed Henderson, Keita and others on the bench, replaced by Elliott, a right midfielder under the age of 19, a youngster Konat, and a left midfielder with low attendance in the past two seasons.
To a certain extent, this platoon arrangement also reflects the calm and idleness of the two managers and the arrows on the string.
For Inzaghi Jr., there is a gap between the team and Liverpool, Barrera is absent, the bench depth is not enough, the only advantage is almost this round of home battles, naturally have to go all out.
On the Liverpool side, Klopp can also arrange two sets of squads that other teams envy through these years of reinforcements, youth training excavation and the development of the ball control system, plus there is a second leg of home advantage after the palace, the German with enough backhands can not fight with Inter in this round.
So there was a rotation on some of the personnel.
Of course, after all, it is a four-line battle, and it is naturally better to end the battle early, so just after the opening Liverpool used the most excellent high-pressure pressing and fighting style, and the formation was very close.
The precise crosses of the two full-backs have also become a magic weapon.
In the 14th minute, Robertson's free-kick from the left was driven into the box and Mane's header went just over the crossbar.
In the 23rd minute, Robertson drove a corner kick from the left, Cornart's header sailed wide and Mane's barbed shot hit the side-netting.
Liverpool had 76 per cent possession and led 6-2 with shots on goal in the first 30 minutes of the game.
And Inter began to close the kick, Perisic 34 years old, Dzeko 36 years old, Vidal 35 years old, inter main average age itself is on the older side, there are Milan derby crash lessons in front, physical fitness has to save some use.
Compared to Liverpool's fast pace, Inter's pace is slow.
Of course, once they get the opportunity to counterattack, Inter's attack speed is also very fast, and Perisic's breakthrough cross on the left side is also tried and tested.
In the 4th minute, Perisic's cross from the left and Dumfries' dive bombing was cleared by Liverpool, Inter immediately countered and Lautaro's shot deflected off the upright.
In the 16th minute, Perisic's low cross from the left was met by a small angled shot from just 20 penalty areas that hit the crossbar and Liverpool escaped.
After 30 minutes, Inter gradually gained the upper hand and returned the possession to 47% at the end of the half, of course, the number of shots on goal was still 3:8 behind, and the two sides fought 0:0.
After half-time, Inzaghi Jr. should have made relevant arrangements, after all, there were only 45 minutes left in the home field advantage.
So at the beginning of the second half, Inter, who gradually gained the upper hand, was also playing more and more crazy, and their main attack direction was still the side of the weak defensive right-back Arnold.
In the 47th minute, the Sabre counter-attacked from the left and cut inward continuously, and B Ronaldo's shot near the top of the arc of the penalty area was deflected.
In the 53rd minute, it was Perisic who received a long pass from his teammate on the left and crossed the ball to Lautaro in front of the goal, but it was a little higher.
Through this period of onslaught, Inter finally rebounded in possession, completing five shots on goal in the first 28 minutes of the second half, compared to Liverpool's only two.
However, with the arrival of the 65-70 minutes node, Inter's declining physical strength finally began to be inadequate, and then collapsed.
Klopp, on the other hand, changed horses and replaced them with Firmino, Henderson, Keita and other fresh forces.
At this time, the scales of victory and defeat are also tilted towards Liverpool.
Playing left and right was Arnold, who had previously been besieged by Inter.
In the 75th minute, Alexander-Arnold drove a corner kick from the right, Firmino flicked forward and the ball went around Handanovic into the net.
Coincidentally, just 2 minutes ago, it was also a corner kick on the right, almost the same position, but unfortunately Dumfries's header was deflected out of the goal.
For Inter, who have been unable to conquer for a long time, this seems to be a joke played by fate on them.
That's not all, liverpool got another free kick in the 82nd minute, it was Alexander-Arnold's cross from the right, Van Dijk's header was not cleared far by Deffrey, and Salah completed the goal in a chaotic battle.
At this time, Inter was already exhausted, let alone shoot, and did not even have the strength to grab the ball from Liverpool.
There was almost no one on the bench except Sanchez, and at the end, the helpless Little Inzaghi did not replace Vidal, Deffre and others until the 87th minute.
In the final 15 minutes of the match, Inter only completed one shot on goal and eventually lost 0:2 with a shot of 9:13.
This is a tragic fact that many Inter fans are difficult to accept, although the first leg has only been played, but in fact, the Nerazzurri's hopes of advancing to the Champions League quarter-finals are already very slim.
During Marfa's conquest of the Africa Cup of Nations, Liverpool successfully survived that dangerous period through the excellent crosses of Alexander-Arnold and Robertson, and now the two have returned and Díaz has joined.
What makes Inter desperate is that from the perspective of Liverpool's consecutive Konat and other youngsters, they did not use their full strength to win 2:0, and when they came to the frightening Anfield Stadium, Inter could be described as nine deaths.
Although the first leg has only been made, this round of knockout rounds can be said to be over.