Man City Stumble Against Inter Milan
Manchester City’s title defense in the UEFA Champions League began with an unexpected hurdle, as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Inter Milan on Wednesday. Despite dominating their domestic league with four consecutive Premier League wins this season, Pep Guardiola’s side struggled to break down the resilient Italian champions in a rematch of the 2023 final.
The game took a turn when City lost key midfielder Kevin De Bruyne to injury at halftime. Phil Foden came close to scoring but was denied by Inter’s goalkeeper Yann Sommer, while star striker Erling Haaland found himself effectively contained by the Inter defense in his quest for a milestone 100th goal for the club.
“It was a very intense game against a strong opponent,” City defender Ruben Dias shared with TNT Sports. “We knew what was coming; they are a top team and used to winning, so we were not going to have an easy job.”
Inter Milan nearly seized victory when Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s shot soared over the crossbar with just 15 minutes remaining. The draw means Manchester City have extended their unbeaten streak in the competition to 24 matches, just one short of the record set by their city rivals, Manchester United, between 2007 and 2009. Notably, this was only the second time in 42 Champions League home games under Guardiola where City failed to score.
“Our plan was to show that we’re not scared to play here,” commented Inter midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu. “We wanted to be brave and take the game to them.”
PSG Edge Girona in Dramatic Finish
Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) clinched a narrow 1-0 victory over tournament newcomers Girona, thanks to a last-minute goal. The French champions faced stiff resistance from the Spanish side throughout the match.
The decisive moment came in the dying minutes when PSG’s forward broke through Girona’s defense to secure all three points for the Parisians. The win gives PSG an early advantage in their group and a confidence boost as they aim for European glory this season.
The narrow victory highlights the growing competitiveness of the Champions League, with new teams like Girona proving they can challenge established clubs on the European stage.
Reference(s):
Man City held by Inter MIlan, PSG edge Girona in UEFA Champions League
cgtn.com
