Inter Milan are set to face Liverpool without key star Nicolo Barella in action for both legs in the Champions League Round of 16, though Jurgen Klopp was keen to highlight midfielder in his pre-match presser.
Speaking to the press, the German also gave mention to former Borussia Dortmund man, Ivan Perisic, as quoted by Goal journalist, Neil Jones, on Twitter.
Klopp on Nicola Barella and his absence from the game, and if he likes any Inter players.
"Yes, Ivan Perisic. We won the double together. I am looking forward to seeing him. I like him a lot.
"Barella is a really good player. He has all the things you want from a midfielder."
— Neil Jones (@neiljonesgoal) February 15, 2022
The former is set to sit out the round after an altercation involving himself and Real Madrid’s Eder Militao in the group stage.
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Barella is a name that continues to be associated with Liverpool in transfer speculation despite the fact the midfielder signed a contract extension keeping him at the San Siro until 2026.
Such high praise from Klopp could certainly indicate that it’s a player our recruitment team will be keeping vaguely in mind, though we’d expect to see a far more attainable option favoured come the summer window.
It’s a huge loss as far as Simone Inzaghi’s men are concerned, but as our manager will be more than aware of having coached Perisic previously, there will be a handful of other potential threats to consider as we aim to make a another big statement in Milan.
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