For the first time in their history, Manchester City drew 0-0 in their opening Champions League match, despite two great late chances from Ilkay Gundogan at home to Inter.
Inter were constantly dangerous and defended resolutely, but Gundogan still had two good chances to win the match, the first by directing the ball towards goalkeeper Yann Sommer and the second over the crossbar in one of the final moments of the match.
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A further frustration for Pep Guardiola was that Kevin De Bruyne looked uncomfortable after having an effort blocked towards the end of the first half and was replaced as part of a double substitution at half-time.
Sam Lee and Michael Cox analyze the match.
Is attacking Inter a good omen for the new Champions League?
It’s too early to judge the Champions League’s new “Swiss-style” format, and the real test will come later in this peculiar combined league phase. Do teams really care about finishing third rather than sixth? Do enough viewers really care who manages to sneak into the top 24, considering those teams will likely be eliminated in the play-off round anyway? We’ll see.
But Inter’s performance here was a decent advertisement for the new system. If this had been a standard game in the usual four-team group, then there would have been more incentive for Inter to play defensively. They would have been delighted to deny City three points, and they would have been pleased to know that their other group stage opponents would probably not match their feat of earning a point.
With the larger format of the group stage, there is less incentive to deny City a win. They are not just competing against City, and other teams will be playing against City. Perhaps it was a coincidence, but there was a bit of a sense of “nothing to lose” in Inter, knowing they had seven more games to make up for it if their audacity proved to be their undoing.
Michael Cox
Should we worry about De Bruyne?
There was a bit on a recent episode of Stick to Football where the panel was discussing Casemiro and Roy Keane observed that as soon as a player hits 30, everyone starts over-analysing bad performances. The comparisons between the current Casemiro and Kevin De Bruyne end there, but there always seems to be a bit of extra scrutiny on the City midfielder lately, not just because he’s 33 but because of the serious hamstring injury he suffered last season. He’s actually started the season very well, and not just in a ‘doing well considering’ sense, but as sharp as ever. Guardiola was asked on Tuesday and said things could get tougher now that City are playing every few days, rather than just on weekends, but that goes for everyone too.
De Bruyne was in pain after this chance was blocked (Photo: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
De Bruyne found things a little more difficult against Inter — at one point, Rodri told him off only to be asked “what do you expect me to do?!” — and was at times challenged in his position further out on the left. His night ended at half-time, after a small swipe at an opening from a tight angle was seemingly enough to force him off. With Phil Foden having finished so well last season in a central role, and now back from illness to replace him here, it’s inevitable that nights like these will take on a little more significance, but so far this season De Bruyne has suggested he’s got plenty of gas left in the tank.
Sam Lee
Why did Darmian do a backheel?
Inter had a great chance to take the lead shortly after half-time when Darmian was deployed behind the City defence, but he made a very strange decision which infuriated his manager on the sidelines.
First Darmian is launched forward and heads towards the goal while Josko Gvardial tries to reach him…
But as he approaches Ederson, the 34-year-old defender decides to attempt a backheel, perhaps in an attempt to serve Nicolò Barella…
Whatever the plan, Darmian’s attempt surpasses Barella…
And he falls at Grealish’s feet, ruining the opportunity and leaving his manager furious…
How were City and Haaland stopped?
Sometimes you watch games like this, with the home team favored but failing to score, and you instinctively think: “Hmm, maybe they just need a true No. 9 to ensure a presence in the penalty area?” But, of course, having scored eight goals in his previous three games, Erling Haaland is exactly that man for Manchester City.
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Haaland had a decent attempt to roll just wide in the first half, but Inter deserve credit for largely shackling him. This is a typically bad Italian defense with three center backs who genuinely love to defend, not just inside the penalty area but also in the penalty area. Protected by three central midfielders who can stay close to the defense because, in turn, the two forwards also retreat into their third, Inter are one of the most frustrating teams to play against in Europe.
However, City may feel that could have caused them more problems, particularly in the wide spaces where Inter were under-strength in their 3-5-2 formation. City did not offer much of a threat down the left flank, where Jack Grealish was stationed but still felt overly cautious in possession. The half-time exits of Kevin De Bruyne and Savinho meant City were without their main crosser and dribbler. Phil Foden and Gundogan came on, with Bernardo Silva moving to the right flank, but that created a less direct City, with Jeremy Doku called up too late to make an impact.
There was a good combination of play, particularly with Rico Lewis down the right channel, and several players offering a long-range shooting threat, with Josko Gvardiol and Rodri having a go. Gundogan also had two late headed chances. City’s xG ended up above 1.5, and yet you still felt Inter’s defence deserved a clean sheet.
Michael Cox
Is Ederson back on track?
For understandable reasons, Ederson had looked a little slow in pre-season and even in the first few games of the campaign proper. He had missed the end of City’s run and the Copa America with a fractured eye socket and had wanted to move away in the summer, which never materialised, so if he wasn’t in great physical or mental shape there could be no real complaints.
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The only hope is that it doesn’t last, and recent evidence suggests he’s fully getting into the swing of things. His passing had been a bit off in the early games, and given his accuracy over the years, any small dip can make a big difference. But he was obviously in the spotlight for the right reasons at the weekend, after his assist for Haaland, and he was called upon to make more traditional contributions, outright saves, on several occasions on Wednesday, and he always had an answer.
There aren’t many games where City concede so many shots, and he hasn’t made a name for himself as a particularly good goalkeeper yet, but he was impressive on a night when City needed him.
What did Pep Guardiola say?
We will bring it to you after his speech in the post-match press conference.
What did Simone Inzaghi say?
We will bring it to you after his speech in the post-match press conference.
What future for Manchester City?
Sunday 22nd September: Arsenal (C), Premier League, 4.30pm BST, 11.30am ET
What future for Inter?
Sunday 22nd September: Milan (C), Premier League, 7.45pm BST, 2.45pm ET
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- Erling Haaland’s record-breaking start to the season analysed
- City vs Premier League: Allegations Explained and How Long the Case Will Last
(Photo: Carl Recine/Getty Images)