PARIS — Liverpool snatched a 1-0 win away to Inter Milan in the Champions League on yesterday without unsettled star Mohamed Salah, while Chelsea slipped to defeat against Atalanta and Barcelona overcame Eintracht Frankfurt.
Dominik Szoboszlai scored a late penalty as Liverpool snapped Inter’s 18-game unbeaten home run in Europe despite the absence of Salah, who was left out of the squad after his extraordinary public criticism of manager Arne Slot.
Szoboszlai drilled his spot-kick past Yann Sommer two minutes from time at the San Siro after Alessandro Bastoni was punished for tugging the shirt of substitute Florian Wirtz, clinching a much-needed win for the troubled Premier League champions.
“Huge result. We knew we were coming to a tough place, to a team that’s in a good moment. We had to show fight and dig in,” Liverpool defender Andy Robertson told Amazon Prime.
A fourth victory in six Champions League games bumped Liverpool up into the top eight to keep them in the hunt for direct qualification to the last 16 as they contend with the fallout of Salah’s weekend outburst.
The Egyptian forward said he felt like he had been “thrown under the bus” by Liverpool during the club’s dip in form and no longer had a relationship with Slot.
“A tough situation. We’re talking about one of the greatest players to play for this club,” said Robertson. “Whatever has happened, happened. Internally, we’re all together.”
Chelsea lost 2-1 at Atalanta despite taking a first-half lead when Joao Pedro poked in a cross from Reece James.
Gianluca Scamacca headed Atalanta level after half-time and Charles De Ketelaere, who set up the equaliser, smashed in the winner for the Bergamo-based side on 83 minutes.
“We need to learn. We’re disappointed but we have to be focused on the next game,” Joao Pedro told TNT Sports.
“In the Champions League, if you concede one goal, and then another (soon), it is difficult to come back.”
Atalanta are third with 13 points, two adrift of leaders Arsenal and Bayern Munich, while Chelsea dropped down to 11th place.
