The clash between champions provides emotions and good football, not a goal. At the Etihad Stadium, ManCity And Inter they split the stakes after a game played at a high level. The perfect game, after all, ends 0-0, some claimed. This is how the first day of the new Champions League ends, between those who won the last Premier and those who triumphed in the last Serie A.
Barella could play anywhere. Even in City, and he proves it on the pitch at the Etihad Stadium. 7 in the report card for the Sardinian midfielder, the best on the pitch of his team and not only. In the ranks of the English, Bernardo Silva and Rodri disappoint, but above all Haaland: 5 in the report card for the Norwegian centre forward.
Guardiola: “We played better than in Istanbul.” In the press conference, the City coach complimented above all the defensive phase of Simone Inzaghi’s Nerazzurri: “We faced a top-level team, champions of Italy. Inter are a great club, they have strong players even from the back, like Sommer or Bastoni. I am really satisfied with the game played: they are masters of the defensive phase, you cannot expect to create many chances but we had them – said the Catalan coach in the press conference – we played much better than in the 2023 final, we would have liked to win but that’s okay”.
Inzaghi: “Gigantic match”. The Nerazzurri coach was full of satisfaction: “I congratulated them, the lads were gigantic. They gave an incredible performance, we know the value of Manchester City. We needed a great match and we did it, with important chances: those of Carlos, Darmian and Mkhitaryan were important chances. In one the goalkeeper was very good, in the others we could have been better. When we all work together we can be tough – explained the Piacenza coach – Dimarco? He should be in the derby. We won’t take any risks, there is enough confidence. If he does a good finishing touch on Saturday he will be among the players called up. We have good doctors and physiotherapists who monitor every day”.
The Milan derby, after all, is the next horizon for the Nerazzurri team.