Get mojo back: Klopp Barca into last 16 despite Inter draw

With their attack misfiring, Liverpool have to find a way to utilise new players

MILAN: Barcelona qualified for the knockout stage of the Champions League despite Mauro Icardi snatching a late 1-1 draw for Inter Milan at the San Siro on Tuesday.

Ice cold Icardi struck with his first shot of the match in the 87th minute to grab a draw from a match Barcelona dominated from the start, just four minutes after a neat curling strike from substitute Malcom gave the away side a fully deserved lead.

“We played the best team in the world and they scored a typical Barcelona goal, but we never gave up, we kept fighting,” Icardi told Sky Sport Italia.

“We didn’t give up after they scored and fortunately the ball bounced to me... there was a bit of luck that the ball arrived there.” The Argentine pounced in a goalmouth scramble, spinning and firing home from close range, and rewarding a brilliant performance from keeper Samir Handanovic that kept Inter in a game they in which they struggled to get a foothold.

“We could not clear a silly ball inside the area and we paid for it,” said Barca midfielder Sergio Busquets. “I think we have deserved more. We were more ambitious and dominated the whole game.”

Barca, without injured Lionel Messi, were left to lament throwing away three points from a game in which they created more than enough chances to win but couldn’t get past the Slovenia international in the Inter goal.

“I think Barcelona played far better than us and we could’ve done more. They came forward too easily in the first half and when you leave them possession constantly, you are going to be pinned back,” said Handanovic.

“We just switched off a bit in the final moments,” said Barca coach Ernesto Valverde. “We know that Inter have picked up a lot of points in the last minutes.

“But we’re happy because our main goal of qualifying is achieved. The one that’s left is for us to get first place.”

SPURS STILL ALIVE IN UCL, INSISTS KANE

LONDON: Harry Kane believes Tottenham can still make the last 16 of the Champions League after coming to his side’s rescue once more in a late turnaround to beat PSV Eindhoven 2-1 on Tuesday.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side were only 12 minutes away from being eliminated as they struggled to recover from Luuk de Jong’s opener for PSV after 61 seconds at Wembley.

But England captain Kane came to the rescue with a predatory equaliser before heading the crucial last-gasp winner with the aid of a deflection off PSV’S Trent Sainsbury.

“We were just on the attack all the time,” said Kane. “In the end we managed to take a couple but I think we deserved it. “We had to dig deep and find another level when it mattered. The whole season we’ve been grinding out results here and there. Obviously we’d like to be higher up the table in the league and doing better in the Champions League, but we’re still fighting.”

“It’s another game we must win, we want to have the possibility to go to the next stage,” said Pochettino, who praised his players’ efforts after an arduous run of four games in eight days.

“The team is growing up. In these four games, three victories, we lost to Man City and I think the draw was more the fair result. Pleased of course, we’re always trying to improve, with all the circumstances the team is fighting.”