Wednesday, 18 September. Manchester City 0 – Internazionale 0 (Champions League). This was the standout fixture of the first matchday of the new Swiss model Champions League making its debut this season, a repeat of the 2023 Champions League Final featuring last year’s winners of their respective leagues. Both teams came into this game unbeaten in their respective leagues, though a tie at the weekend against Monza had dropped Inter from first to third, while City remained atop the Premier League table.

The first half unsurprisingly featured City controlling possession, but with Inter posing a real threat on the counter. Both sides threatened on the same flank, as Jack Grealish was influential on City’s left side, feeding Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland on significant chances. While Inter were breaking up both wings and through the middle, the majority of their first half chances ended on the foot of Marcus Thuram on their right side.

In stoppage time, Medhi Taremi fed Carlos Augusto into the box for a shot that came off the left post. A subsequent left corner allowed Nicolò Barella a chance that he put well over the crossbar. Though City led in expected goals at halftime by 0.74 to Inter’s 0.46, Simone Inzaghi’s men were probably the happier side, having kept City from scoring and posed a serious counter-attacking threat themselves.

To start the second half, Pep Guardiola brought on Phil Foden, and replaced De Bruyne, who had picked up a know at the end of the first half, with İlkay Gündoğan. The changes had an immediate impact, as City took control of the second half, Foden providing a consistent threat in attack. Inter’s best chance of the half came with a quarter-hour remaining, as recent substitute Denzel Dumfries was played up the right flank into space. His cross in was behind Taremi, but deflected to another second-half sub, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who put his effort over the crossbar.

For the most part, though, it was one-way traffic in City’s favor. Gündoğan had a pair of headed attempts at the end of regulation and late in stoppage time, but the game ended in a nil-nil tie despite City’s 2.47 expected goals (Inter had 0.76). Inter would go on to lose the first Derby della Madonnina to Milan at the weekend, temporarily dropping to 6^th place; but by the start of October they would be back in 2^nd. City would suffer a season-ending injury to Rodri at the weekend in a 2-2 tie with Arsenal that would ultimately have a massive impact on their season.

Tactical Analysis: NY Times/Athletic (Michael Cox).