Wearing a new kit designed as a homage to an Oasis album, Manchester City produced a performance in their opening tilt at this season’s Champions League that never got close to ‘definitely’ and only flirted with ‘maybe’.
All that was clear about City’s display at the Etihad, in fact, was that they were outplayed for long periods of the game by an Inter Milan team they beat in the final of the competition in June of last year to lift the trophy for the first time.
Inter, the reigning Italian champions, may have lost Romelu Lukaku and Andre Onana from that side but they have improved immeasurably under the continuing tutelage of coach Simone Inzaghi and, even though Ilkay Gundogan, missed two fine chances to put City ahead with headers in the dying minutes, the least Inter deserved was a share of the spoils.
Many had anticipated that Erling Haaland would grace the occasion by scoring his 100th goal for City in his 104th appearance but Haaland was rarely in the game. Instead, the match was dominated by the skills of Nicolo Barella and Piotr Zielinksi in the Inter midfield. Only their lack of clinical finishing prevented them winning.
After City’s perfect start to their domestic season, Inter provided opposition that was on a different level. City’s struggles may have encouraged Arsenal, who City meet here on Sunday. Pep Guardiola will also be concerned about the fitness of Kevin de Bruyne, who was withdrawn at half time.
Manchester City drew 0-0 with Inter Milan in their opening Champions League group game
Ilkay Gundogan squandered a golden chance in stoppage time after his header was saved
Erling Haaland missed out on scoring his 100th goal for the club in a quiet performance
City had given a first start of the season to Rodri, which seemed gently ironic given that the man many believe to be the best player in the Premier League had spoken this week of how footballers were ready to go on strike because of the amount of games they are being asked to play.
Rodri has not started a club game since he played for Spain in the final of the European Championship on July 14th, which was his 63rd game of last season. Many heap scorn on his complaints but, as the new expanded format of the Champions League kicks in, he has a point.
Other players, including Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson and Barcelona’s Jules Kounde, have made similar pleas for an end to the relentless season-creep in which clubs, governing bodies and broadcasters are complicit as they try to eke more and more money from the game.
The difficult part for the players is that when they set out their grievances, the first people they should be presenting them to are the executives at their clubs who are perfectly happy to take the money for punishing pre-season tours and television deals that exacerbate the demands of the schedule.
It may be a while, for instance, until we hear any complaints from Spurs about the demands on their players, given that they chose to fly them to the other side of the world for friendlies in Australia at the end of last season when they were already exhausted after a long season.
Rodri and the rest of City’s midfield dominated possession in the early stages of the game but it was Inter who looked the more threatening of the two going forward.
Several times, the pace and control of Marcus Thuram and Mehdi Taremi discomfited City when the Italians counter-attacked. Both forwards lacked the confidence to make the most of those early opportunities and their attacks petered out.
Haaland steered a header toward goal but was denied by goalkeeper Yann Sommer
Kevin De Bruyne also forced a save from Sommer as City looked for a first half breakthrough
Marcus Thuram flashed a couple of efforts wide of the target with the visitors impressing
City offered only a sporadic threat. A powerful header from Haaland was plucked from underneath the crossbar by Yann Sommer and Savinho blazed high and wide when a cross found him on the edge of the area.
City laboured and the atmosphere was muted. Piotr Zielinski enlivened play with a brilliant burst forward from the edge of the Inter box that was brought to an abrupt end by a tackle from Ruben Dias that earned the Portugal defender a yellow card.
City began to rediscover their brio as half time approached. Haaland pulled a shot just wide and a minute later, Bernardo Silva should have scored when a low cross found him 10 yards out. He tried to sweep it past Sommer first time but thrashed at thin air instead.
Inter wasted a chance of their own when Kevin de Bruyne was caught in possession deep in his own half and the ball was played in to Thuram. Thuram opened his body and tried to sidefoot the ball past Ederson but struck it well wide.
Not many teams make City look one-dimensional but Inter managed it a few times. They operated between the lines again and again, turning City inside out, making them back-pedal.
In the closing seconds of the half, Carlos Augusto surged into the box and tried to beat Ederson from a tight angle. Ederson got down sharply to keep it out but If Inter had been more ruthless in front of goal, they would have led going into the break.
Bernardo Silva was unable to touch a low ball into the net before being substituted late on
Phil Foden forced Sommer to smother his powerful effort as the clock ticked toward 90
Kevin De Bruyne was forced off in the second half in a potential injury headache for City
Guardiola made two changes at the break. De Bruyne, who appeared to have picked up an injury late in the first half, was replaced by Ilkay Gundogan, and Phil Foden came on for Savinho, who had had a relatively anonymous opening 45 minutes.
It had no immediate effect on Inter, who wasted another golden opportunity to open the scoring eight minutes into the second half.
Matteo Darmian, once of Manchester United, bore down on goal but with only Ederson to beat, he inexplicably decided that the best course of action was to try to backheel the ball into the path of Nicolo Barella. Barella was as surprised as everybody else and promptly fell over.
On the touchline, Inter coach Simone Inzaghi was so angry he looked as if he were about to combust.
Midway through the half, Inter nearly paid for their profligacy when some beautifully intricate interplay between Jack Grealish and Gundogan created a chance for Foden ten yards out. Foden should have scored but his shot was too close to Sommer, who smothered it.
Ruben Dias was shown the only booking of the game and voiced his complaints to the referee
Pep Guardiola cut a frustrated figure on the touchline with City stuttering in front of goal
City started to pile on the pressure now. There was a feeling that the match’s momentum, finally, had swung towards the home team. Grealish was a constant threat on the left and there was general dismay inside the stadium when Barella upended him unceremoniously and somehow escaped a booking.
Inter tried to regain control and 15 minutes from the end Denzel Dumfries sprinted down the right and crossed towards fellow substitute Henrikh Mkhitaryan who met it on the penalty spot.
Mkhitaryan hit it sweetly but the ball whistled inches over the bar. On the touchline, Inzaghi provided the entertainment again, falling to his knees and beating the ground with his fists.
