Match Reports & Highlights: Man City 0-0 Inter: Excellent Nerazzuri’s stifle Cityzens
Match Reports & Highlights: Man City 0-0 Inter: Excellent Nerazzuri’s stifle Cityzens. Manchester City were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw during their UEFA Champions League opener for the new campaign, with Inter putting on a superb performance at the Etihad Stadium.
In what would be a repeat of the 2023 final, the Nerazzurri were out for revenge and the wonderful Serie A holders gave a great account of themselves on Wednesday night, stifling the hosts for the most part.
The nature of the new format means Pep Guardiola won’t be concerned by the dropped points at home, but his side must produce a slicker performance when they take on Arsenal in Manchester on Sunday. Inter, meanwhile, take on an out-of-sorts Milan in the Derby della Madonnina this weekend.
How the match unfolded
There was hardly a grand sense of occasion inside the Etihad despite the presence of two of the competition’s favourites, and Inter gave the City faithful little reason to ramp up the noise as they produced an excellent first half display.
The visitors defended stoutly in their 5-3-2 block, but they were ever so confident in possession and their positional fluidity flummoxed a typically suffocating City press. Inter had plenty of joy building through the thirds and breaking through the hosts’ midfield, but sub-par decision-making and execution in the final third meant they were reduced to relatively low-quality chances.
Still, very rarely do we see teams stifle City in the manner Inter did in the first half on Sunday. Simone Inzaghi’s side were never hanging on, with Yann Sommer being tested infrequently. Guardiola’s men produced little of note, although Erling Haaland did come close on a couple of occasions.
It was all to play for in the second period as the two sides entered half-time goalless, with Guardiola opting for a double-change in a bid to inspire the tepid hosts. There was no dynamic shift, though, as Inter continued to stifle the hosts while boasting a distinct threat in transition.
Phil Foden did have a close-range shot saved after his half-time entrance, while Matteo Darmian opted against shooting when bearing down on Ederson’s goal having been played through expertly by Mehdi Taremi.
It wasn’t until the dying embers that it felt as if the visitors were starting to cling on. City finally ramped up the intensity and were able to sustain attacks, and they should’ve snatched the tie late on but Ilkay Gundogan spurned a couple of glorious headed chances.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS;
