Champions League, a great Inter stops Manchester City: at the Etihad it ends 0-0

Manchester (UK), 18 September 2024 – Starts with a very precious point at home to Manchester City Inter's Champions League, who thus faces the championship derby with great confidence: The Citizens and the Nerazzurri drew 0-0 at the Etihad Stadium, protagonists of a match of great personality and quality. Inzaghi's men were able to react to City's good start by focusing on counterattacks that brought Thuram, Darmian, Calhanoglu and Carlos Augusto close to scoring. On the other side, however, the hosts certainly weren't sitting back and watching and, despite struggling to break down the Nerazzurri's defensive chest, they responded with chances created by Haaland, De Bruyne and Savinho. The game plan remained unchanged in the second half, in which the balance also in terms of opportunities continued to reign supreme. Only in the final part of the game did City manage to raise the revs, regaining control of the game and creating some danger near Sommer with Gundogan. However, the Inter defence wasn't intimidated and held firm to secure the draw.

Guardiola and Inzaghi's choices

Inzaghi confirms the tried and tested 3-5-2 but with some surprises in the starting eleven: in the central defense trio in front of Sommer, there is Bisseck to form a department with Acerbi and Bastoni. Given the unavailability of Dimarco, on the left lane Carlos Augusto is confirmed among the starters after starting as a center back against Monza; on the opposite flank, instead, Darmian acts. In midfield, then, Barella is seen again, alongside Calhanoglu and Zielinski, but the biggest surprise is in attack where Inzaghi keeps Lautaro on the bench and launches Taremi alongside Marcus Thuram. Guardiola instead relies on a front-wheel drive 4-3-3: in goal there is Ederson, who has in front of him the defensive quartet formed by Lewis, Dias, Akanji and Gvardiol. De Bruyne and Rodri – in his first start of the season – are the mezzali on the sides of Bernardo Silva. Finally, in the trident alongside Haaland and Grealish, there is the somewhat surprising twenty-year-old Savinho.

First half

High pressing in the non-possession phase and dense phrasing are the trademarks with which City tries to set up the match. Inter, however, does not let itself be intimidated and responds with courage, relying on counterattacks and creating several potentially dangerous situations with Thuram, Darmian and Calhanoglu. But in the 19th minute, Haaland also got his first chance who in the center of the area, on a cross from Savinho, is unable to give power to the ball, which ends up docile in Sommer's gloves. Five minutes later, it is the Brazilian striker who shoots the ball into the stars with a volley from a cross from the outside of De Bruyne - very active on the left chain - and who misses the lead. It is precisely on the outside lanes that City maneuvers most to develop their game and in the 36th minute they create their third chance again with Haaland, who from the edge of the area strangles the shot too much which goes just wide. Inter, however, does not let themselves be intimidated and rises again with great personality after the half hour of play, dangerously and repeatedly appearing in Ederson's area: Thuram's shot from the edge of the area in the 41st minute goes just wide of the post by a few centimetres'. He is instead very attentive, thanks also to the excellent closing of Calhanoglu, Sommer on De Bruyne, while Carlos Augusto calls Ederson into action right at the end which responds present and keeps the result unchanged.

Second half

After the break, Guardiola decides to draw from the bench and revolutionizes the external departments throwing Gundogan and Foden into the mix for De Bruyne and Savinho. And Foden himself shows up in the game with a curling shot that grazes the top corner of the Nerazzurri goal. Inter's response is entrusted to a lightning-fast counterattack, at the height of which Taremi serves Darmian in an excellent position who however wastes time to get to the conclusion. Plays that keep the level of confidence of Inzaghi's men high, who remain very compact in coverage and in the phase of ball management show excellent fluidity. To increase the engine revs, with 25 minutes to go, Inzaghi also plays the Mkhitaryan and Lautaro Martinez cards, but it is City in the 69th minute who are venomously seen again in Sommer's area with Foden at the height of an exchange with Gundogan. The pressure and the amount of play by the Citizens – who are trying to raise the pace – start to grow again at this point and so Inzaghi decides to cover the right side of the pitch more with the freshness of Pavard and Dumfries. The Dutchman is immediately the protagonist because in the 76th minute he serves a low cross to Mkhitaryan who from the heart of the area kicks the ball high over the crossbar. A flash that gives a jolt to Guardiola's men who in the final part, thanks also to the freshness of Doku, take some risks by attacking head down and create dangers near Sommer with the whip of Gvardiol and the header of Gundogan on a cross from the same Croatian defender. The Nerazzurri defensive stronghold manages to resist until the final assault, in which Gundogan with a perfect insertion tries again with another header that however fails to hit the opponent's goal.

The little table

Manchester City (4-3-3): Ederson; Lewis, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol; De Bruyne (from 46' Gundogan), Rodri, Bernardo Silva (from 79' Doku); Savinho (from 46' Foden), Haaland, Grealish. All. Guardiola.

Inter Milan (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck (from 74' Pavard), Acerbi, Bastoni; Darmian (from 74' Dumfries), Barella, Çalhanoglu (from 82' Frattesi), Zielinski (from 65' Mkhitaryan), Carlos Augusto; Thuram (from 65' Lautaro Martinez), Taremi. Coach: Inzaghi.