Nicolo Barella will miss Liverpool’s visit to Italy to face Inter Milan in the Champions League’s Round of 16 after being sent off in a 2-0 defeat to Real Madrid in the group stages for a punch on Eder Militao.
The 24-year-old had struck the defender’s leg after being bundled into the advertisement boards, as reported by Give Me Sport.
It remains unclear whether the Italian will be handed a two-match ban for the incident, with the home fixture at the San Siro set to be missed as a minimum.
The No.23 was heavily linked with a move to Merseyside though speculation has since ceased following the signing of a long-term contract keeping him in Milan until the summer of 2026.
Whilst one can objectively argue it’s a loss that hurts Simone Inzaghi’s chances of securing results against us in both legs, we hope that the midfielder gets a chance to make an appearance at Anfield, particularly after showing remorse for his actions.
It’s a tougher fixture than that which we were initially handed – without wishing to disrespect RB Salzburg – though one we’re greatly looking forward to.