Inter Milan stun Manchester City with 0-0 draw in Champions League

Guardiola praises Inter's defensive discipline while Inzaghi hails his team's performance against City

MANCHESTER, UK:

Inter Milan secured a surprising 0-0 draw against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday in the Champions League, avenging their narrow defeat to Pep Guardiola's team in the 2023 final.

The match was a lively affair with both teams missing several opportunities. Manchester City struggled to break down Inter Milan's solid defensive setup, while Inter, effective on the counter-attack, failed to capitalise on their chances.

Guardiola praised Inter's defensive prowess, noting their discipline and collective effort made it difficult for City to create many chances. Similarly, Inter's manager, Simone Inzaghi, expressed satisfaction with his team's performance, highlighting their effort against a strong Manchester City side.

Erling Haaland, City's prolific striker, was unable to reach the milestone of becoming the fastest player to score 100 goals for a European club, as he missed a couple of first-half chances. Henrikh Mkhitaryan also missed a late opportunity for Inter, shooting over the bar from close range.

At the other end, Ilkay Gundogan's late headers failed to find the net, with one saved by Inter's goalkeeper and the other going just over the bar before the final whistle. Despite City having 22 shots to Inter's 13, they only managed one more shot on target than their opponents.

City defender Ruben Dias described the match as intense and praised Inter as a top team. Guardiola acknowledged the draw, noting that with seven more games remaining in the group stage, there is still time to progress.

The result was a setback for Manchester City, who are currently top of the Premier League with a perfect record after four matches. Inter Milan sits third in Serie A. City's captain, Kevin De Bruyne, suffered a potential injury during the first half and did not return for the second.

Guardiola's side will face Arsenal on Sunday in another crucial match. City, who won the 2023 Champions League by defeating Inter 1-0, were knocked out by Real Madrid in the quarter-finals last season, while Inter were eliminated by Atletico Madrid in the round of 16.