MANCHESTER, England — This is exactly what UEFA had in mind when it revamped the Champions League: having two top teams meet in the league's new phase instead of waiting until the knockout rounds to see the best games. The only thing missing from Manchester City's 0-0 draw with Inter Milan were goals.
There should have been one. Former Manchester United midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan came off the bench and fired over the bar in Inter's best chance. It was such a good chance that manager Simone Inzaghi fell to the ground and began punching the turf with his fist.
The Inter boss had already seen Mkhitaryan's former Old Trafford team-mate Matteo Darmian inexplicably try to backheel the ball past Nicolò Barella when everyone in the stadium expected him to take the shot. Away teams don't get too many chances at the Etihad Stadium and the Italian champions almost paid for their profligacy when Ilkay Gündogan was twice headed in from close range in the final minutes.
In the end, 466 days after their meeting in the 2023 final in Istanbul, both Inzaghi and Pep Guardiola could argue that their team should have won while also feeling secretly relieved that they had not lost.
“We played very well,” said Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
“I love my team very much, we are a fantastic team. Inter is a team that defends very well. They are masters in defence and also in transitions.”
City have not lost a Champions League group game at the Etihad since a 2-1 defeat to Lyon six years ago. Under Guardiola, they have become accustomed to getting through these early games with ease and quickly turning their attention to the latter stages of the competition.
At least Inter reminded us that the new phase of the league (with games against other seeded teams) will be more difficult to cope with. City have played so well in the Champions League that Inter arrived in Manchester as clear underdogs. However, Inter are the best team in Italy for a reason.
With full-backs Darmian and Carlos Augusto in high, wide positions, Barella was able to find space across the midfield and quickly pass the ball to Marcus Thuram and Mehdi Taremi. Guardiola watched transition after transition with his head in his hands. He was so fed up with Barella by the end of the first half that when the Inter midfielder picked up the ball again on the halfway line, he threw his hands in the air and turned away in disgust.
That particular attack was halted only when goalkeeper Ederson made a fine save at his near post from Augusto. It was one of 10 shots Inter had in the first half – the first time an opposing team had had 10 or more shots in the first half of a Champions League game at the Etihad since AS Monaco in February 2017. It was no surprise that when the half-time whistle finally blew, Guardiola turned and ran down the tunnel ready to take advantage on his instructions.
His solution was to introduce Gündogan in place of Kevin De Bruyne (who was injured) and Phil Foden in place of Savinho, which helped City gain some control and create their own chances.
Foden fired straight at Yann Sommer after a tricky move started by Jack Grealish, and Gündogan should have done better with his two headers at the end. The first, from Josko Gvardiol's cross, had to go anywhere but into Sommer's grateful gloves. For only the second time in 42 Champions League home games under Guardiola, City failed to score.
Afterwards, Inzaghi said his players had put in “a gigantic performance”.
“I told them: 'Well done, lads,'” he said. “I asked them to play exactly the way they did. We all know Manchester City and we know what they are capable of. We knew we had to do our best and play a great game, and we did that. We also created some really good chances. When we work well as a team, we make it difficult for everyone.”
Inter's performance, which saw captain Lautaro Martinez on the bench for 66 minutes, underlined their credentials as Champions League contenders.
But City did the same by giving their best. They have reached the knockout stages for 11 consecutive years and, despite looking vulnerable at times, they had chances to win and Guardiola left more happy than frustrated. There will be no doubt that City will record a 12th consecutive victory after Christmas. In UEFA's new format, two of Europe's best teams met from the start and there was enough spectacle at the Etihad to suggest they could meet again when the competition reaches its climax.
“We conceded one and a half chances and we couldn't create many chances when a team defends with 11 players so far back,” Guardiola concluded.
“They help each other a lot. I'm happy with our performance, I liked everything. We're at the beginning of the season, the performances will be better, with more time we will be better.”
