Robertson explains why he’s excited by Liverpool’s ‘tough’ Champions League draw

Andy Robertson has revealed his excitement after Liverpool were drawn to face Inter Milan in the Champions League’s last 16.

Liverpool will face the Italian champions in the Champions League’s first knockout round next year, having drawn the Nerazzurri in Monday’s re-drawn last 16.

 

Inter won a drought-breaking Scudetto last season to be crowned champions for the first time since the 2009/10 campaign, with Simone Inzaghi’s side currently leading the title race as the club bid to defend their crown.

Robertson believes the draw is an ‘exciting one’ and is relishing the chance to return to the San Siro after Liverpool’s meetings with AC Milan in the group stages.

“The draw has been made now and it’s an exciting one,” he told the Mirror.

“I was on the bench last week which at least meant that I could go, but the San Siro is a stadium that I’ve wanted to play in since I became professional.

“It’s iconic, an amazing stadium.

“After visiting last week I enjoyed being able to be there and take it in, but hopefully come February then I can be on the pitch and enjoy it even more.”

Robertson is anticipating a difficult test against Inter Milan, having already faced Italian opposition in the group stages this season.

The meeting will be just the third time the sides face faced off in European competition, with Liverpool having beaten Inter Milan at the same stage during the 2007/08 season.

“The two Milan teams are fighting it out at the top of the league, and they’re both neck-and-neck,” continued Robertson.

“We’ve had that experience of playing against AC in the group stages, and they were a really tough opponent.

“The home leg I played in was a really hard game. They played really well and made us work for the three points.

“We’re expecting the same, if not more, from Inter, and obviously because it’s the last-16 then everything is heightened.”

Last season’s competition saw Liverpool play their last-16 ties in a neutral venue of Budapest as a result of the pandemic, and Robertson admitted he is excited for the return of Champions League knockout stage football in front of capacity crowds.

“That was different!” he says. “I’d never played a home game in Budapest before!

“But it wasn’t the same without the fans there. It wasn’t the same going away to these big stadiums and it being empty, and that’s not football.

“It’s going to be a tough draw, we’ll look forward to it, but we can’t think too much about it because i think there’s about 40 games between now and then!”

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