New Champions League format fails to excite as repeat of 2023 final will be quickly forgotten​

MAN CITY 0-0 INTER MILAN: The champions of England were ultimately nullified by the champions of Italy, in a game that simmered throughout but never threatened to explode into something truly thrilling

​MAN CITY 0-0 INTER MILAN: The champions of England were ultimately nullified by the champions of Italy, in a game that simmered throughout but never threatened to explode into something truly thrilling MAN CITY 0-0 INTER MILAN: The champions of England were ultimately nullified by the champions of Italy, in a game that simmered throughout but never threatened to explode into something truly thrilling   

So much for the new Champions League format producing more exciting games with greater jeopardy.

The champions of England were ultimately nullified by the champions of Italy, in a game that simmered throughout but never threatened to explode into something truly thrilling.

This was the first time since March that City have failed to score at home, despite managing 21 shots, their attack met with predictably formidable resistance from their Italian opponents. For the revamped Champions League, which promised bigger games, this was the perfect example of that – a repeat of the 2023 final, which City won 1-0 in Istanbul.

But despite both sides slugging it out and conjuring enough chances to win two games, it ended honours even, an outcome that will please Simone Inzaghi’s side more than Pep Guardiola’s.

Inter arrived in Manchester third in Serie A, opening their domestic campaign with two wins and two draws, in contrast to City, who could boast a 100 per cent start to the season.

City debuted their new kit, co-designed by Oasis star Noel Gallagher, which drew inspiration from the band’s iconic debut album, Definitely Maybe, 30 years after its release. But the new kit was not enough to inspire a Champagne Supernova performance from City’s players.

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Typically, Inter extolled the virtues of a competent Italian side – ultra-organised, robust, disciplined and hard to break down, as City found, despite enjoying greater possession throughout.

Yet despite dictating the tempo and pattern of the game early on, the first chance of the game went the way of the visitors, Marcus Thuram dragging a shot wide after 15 minutes.

Erling Haaland, looking to become the fastest player to reach 100 goals for a single club, was presented with a chance five minutes later, but planted a header straight at Yann Sommer.

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City winger Savninho was then presented with a chance to open the scoring, after Haaland had unselfishly left the ball, but the Brazilian’s shot was so wayward it nearly landed among the Inter fans, some 20 yards wide of the goal.

Ederson was spared a potentially costly blunder a minute before the half-hour mark, when he raced from his line to keep the ball from going behind for a corner.

Although he succeeded, he sent the ball straight to ex-Manchester United defender Matteo Darmian, whose goalbound effort – with Ederson stranded – was headed clear by Gvardiol.

Inter should have taken the lead four minutes before half-time when Rodri, off the pace in his first start of the season, gave the ball away outside the City area, but Thuram again missed the target.

Moments later, at the other end, Sommer and Carlos Augusto combined to thwart De Bruyne as he tried to reach the ball for an angled shot, the City playmaker suffering a heavy knock in the process.

De Bruyne did not emerge for the second-half, replaced by Ilkay Gundogan, with Savinho also making way for Phil Foden, who made his return to action following illness.

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Darmian had a chance to give Inter the lead seven minutes after the restart, but inexplicably chose to back-heel the ball when he should have taken a shot, his error infuriating his boss Inzaghi.

Foden came close to breaking the deadlock 20 minutes from time, but his close-range shot went straight at Sommer, then another former United player, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, sent the ball soaring over the bar minutes later, with Gundogan missing two headers late on that would have sealed the win.

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