Manchester City vs Inter Milan: Analysis of a Goalless Champions League Draw
It was a goalless draw between Manchester City and Inter Milan at the Etihad Stadium, but it wasn’t a boring one. We got what we expected from two teams that play like clockwork, with drilled tactics and complex rotation. Both teams neutralized each other, resulting in the 0-0 draw. Even though frustrated, I feel both teams should be happy with the result and being done with their most difficult fixture in this Champions’ League group stage.
Here are the main talking points from this game!
How Inter Milan Set-up Their Defensive Wall
Simone Inzaghi set up his team in a 3-5-2, trying to prevent Manchester City from accessing the central areas. The three centre-backs, Yann Bisseck, Francesco Acerbi and Alessandro Bastoni, stayed central and compact, putting a stop to Haaland’s scoring campaign this season.
The Norwegian had his chances, generating a xG of 0,33 from two total shots (one on target), but didn’t have his usual impact. His chances were all in the first half, and the most notable was in the 19th minute, when Haaland cut off Acerbi for a header at the edge of the 6 yard box. But Sommer was right there.
Inter Milan’s midfielders dropped deep, forming a 5-4-1 low block at the edge of their box. They didn’t leave spaces to exploit and were disciplined as Manchester City circulated the ball in their attacking third. The Citizens had 292 passes in Inter Milan’s defensive third. To put this into context, the Nerazzurri had 376 total passes.
Yet, when City found even an ounce of space, they will exploit it with quick combinations in the box, trying to open up Inter’s wall. Only once was there plenty of central space, in the 87th minute. Inter lost the ball in midfield after a long pass by Sommer, and Foden pinched a Jeremy Doku pass that was headed for Grealish in the left wing. Pavard was tracking Gundogan and Grealish, and Foden surprised him, as his momentum meant that he couldn’t turn. Foden didn’t find the net and Sommer was brilliant again.
Inter Milan’s Counter Attacking Threat, Beautifully Executed
Inter was active on the counter. Quick transitions with Marcus Thuram leading the charge were the most important chances for the Nerazzurri. It was reminiscent of how Real Madrid played against Manchester City in last season’s quarterfinals. But Inter couldn’t capitalize on their chances.
Inter rarely cleared the ball away, choosing to pass it out and carry the ball out of their own box. And when they broke through the first wave of pressing from City, they exploited City’s advanced positions. Nicolo Barella had a superb performance, carrying the ball towards City’s goal for a distance of 202 yards and 2 key passes.
Marcus Thuram and Matteo Darmian were Inter’s two major outlets for counter attacking, and Darmian had the biggest chance of the evening for Inter Milan, yet he preferred to do a back heeled pass for Barella instead of shooting. Inzaghi was not content with it. Grealish was, as he collected that ball, though.
Manchester City’s Stubbornness Against The Long Shot
Manchester City has set up in a familiar formation. With Haaland and Bernardo Silva starting up top, Jack Grealish and Savinho holding down the width and Rico Lewis and Gvardiol inverted more centrally into the half spaces. Now there are a few things to mention here.
First, it was tough to build up in the central areas of the attacking third. When facing a compact low block, it’s hard to penetrate, especially when it’s an Inter Milan low block. Although hard, City broke through with quick one-two combinations in Inter’s box. As customary, City ramped up the intensity until the last minute, generating a xG of 2,35.
One thing I felt missing was Manchester City’s long shot. They tried to walk with the ball until Sommer’s goal. Only a few had the courage to take the chance and go for a long shot, such as Rodri or Gvardiol. Both of them were fantastic overall. Gvardiol was pushing up carrying the ball, misplacing only three passes in the entire game. Rodri forced turnovers left and right, recovering the ball, active all over the pitch. Overall, a brilliant performance by those two.
Substitutions Changing the Dynamic. From Wide Threats to Pockets.
After the break, Pep Guardiola made two substitutions. Yes, quite unlike him, but one was because Kevin de Bruyne was showing signs of discomfort. Pep Introduced İlkay Gündoğan for de Bruyne and Phil Foden substituted Savinho. Foden played in the center and Bernardo Silva switched up places and occupied the right wing.
This means that City had a reduced directness and dribbling threat on the right wing. Jack Grealish had his moments, but I felt he was too cautious and often gave the ball back, or not take on his opponent. That’s why by the end of the game we saw Jeremy Doku on the right wing, one of the best dribblers in the Premier League.
Now there were also upsides to those changes. Inter Milan defended in a 5-4-1 shape. They were very compact and did not allow space. And when they did, it was tiny and cramped. So you need players that can operate in those tight spaces. Hence, Gündoğan and Foden. Players who are great for playing in those pockets of space. The pair had the most generated xG, with 0,8 and 0,5.
Conclusions
The 0-0 draw between Manchester City and Inter Milan was a tactical chess match, with both teams showcasing their defensive discipline and structured approaches. Inter’s compact 5-4-1 low block successfully neutralized City’s central attacking threats, while City’s possession-heavy play struggled to break through until occasional moments of brilliance. Both teams had chances—City through intricate combinations and Inter on the counter—but neither could capitalize.
Though frustrating for fans seeking goals, the result reflects the careful planning and execution of both sides, and both can take satisfaction in having survived their toughest group stage challenge.
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