Inter Milan star blames Liverpool for Champions League exit with 'made up' claim
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Liverpool IconLiverpool FC NewsFeaturesLiverpool FCLiverpool beat Inter Milan in the group phase of the Champions League, with the Serie A giant crashing out against Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt in the play-off roundNicolo Barella of Internazionale.(Image: Sportinfoto/DeFodi via Getty Images)Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella says a "made up" penalty awarded to Liverpool at the San Siro earlier this season is the reason that his team has crashed out of the Champions League.Barella captained Inter in the play-off round defeat to the Norwegian outfit Bodo/Glimt, with the Italians losing both home and away and heading out 5-2 on aggregate.But the 29-year-old made the point that had Liverpool not beaten Inter thanks to a controversial spot kick converted emphatically by Dominik Szoboszlai, it would have made the top eight spots and therefore already have booked a place in the last-16.READ MORE: Sweden manager responds to Alexander Isak injury latest following Arne Slot updateREAD MORE: Champions League player's father claims his son could sign for Liverpool this summer"We tried but they were better," Barella is quoted as saying by Goal. "It is infuriating that we slipped out of the league phase by one point because they called a made-up penalty in the 90th minute [vs Liverpool]."With that, we didn't end up in the top eight.
Without it, we would have avoided the two extra matches and the trip to Norway, but that is the new Champions League."The incident in question involved Florian Wirtz, who went down after a minor pull on his jersey from Barella's teammate, Alessandro Bastoni.MILAN, ITALY - DECEMBER 09: Alessandro Bastoni of FC Internazionale commits the penalty foul on Florian Wirtz of Liverpool FC during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD6 match between FC Internazionale Milano and Liverpool FC at Stadio San Siro on December 09, 2025 in Milan, Italy. If you give a penalty like this, then every contact in the box is a penalty."Get LFC's 2025/26 season home and away kitsThis article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it.
"[It was an] obvious simulation [with Wirtz] throwing himself to the ground."Inter boss Cristian Chivu was more willing to focus on his side's lack of a performance against Bodo/Glimt across the two legs."We tried every possible way against a team that was well-organized in a low block, with 10 players behind the ball," he said. "We couldn’t break them down, and they found a mental comfort zone."Liverpool.com says: It was a harsh decision but that wasn't the reason Inter failed to turn up against Bodo/Glimt.