Manchester City and Inter Milan Play Out 0-0 Draw in Champions League Opener. © Twitter (Paulo Gazzaniga)
Manchester, UK – In a repeat of last year’s Champions League final, Manchester City and Inter Milan played out a frustrating 0-0 draw at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday. Pep Guardiola’s side, fresh from a flawless start to the Premier League season, struggled to break down a stubborn Inter defense in their group stage opener.
Despite dominating possession, City’s attack lacked the cutting edge, with star striker Erling Haaland unable to find his much-anticipated 100th goal for the club. Midfielder Phil Foden had the best chance, but Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer saved his effort, while City suffered a further setback as Kevin De Bruyne was forced off with an injury at halftime.
Inter Milan, determined to avenge their 2023 final defeat, defended valiantly and nearly stole all three points when Henrikh Mkhitaryan blazed over the bar with 15 minutes remaining. The draw extends City’s unbeaten Champions League run to 24 matches, just one shy of Manchester United’s competition record.
“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy; they’re a top team and champions in their league,” said City defender Ruben Dias. “We need to improve, but it’s a solid start.”
Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain left it late against Champions League newcomers Girona, winning 1-0 thanks to a last-minute goalkeeping blunder. PSG defender Nuno Mendes sent in a cross that Girona’s Paulo Gazzaniga failed to handle, gifting the French champions a vital win.
“It was a tough game; they’re a good team,” Mendes admitted post-match. “But we kept pushing, and sometimes you need that bit of luck.”
In other Champions League action, Borussia Dortmund cruised to a 3-0 win over Club Brugge, with 20-year-old English winger Jamie Gittens coming off the bench to score twice. Celtic kicked off their campaign with a commanding 5-1 victory against Slovan Bratislava, while Sparta Prague secured their first win in the competition since 2003 by defeating Red Bull Salzburg 3-0.
With an action-packed opening night, the 2024/25 Champions League is already delivering excitement, and fans can look forward to more thrilling fixtures in the coming weeks.
