Manchester City kick off their Champions League campaign with a home fixture against Inter Milan in what should be an entertaining and exciting encounter at the Etihad Stadium. Pep Guardiola will be hoping to secure an early qualification for the knockout stages ahead of potentially tricky outings against Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain later in the competition.
City reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League last year before losing to Real Madrid in a penalty shootout and the 2023 champions will be hoping to better that finish during this newly revamped tournament. They will play an initial eight games and try to finish inside the top eight of a league table to automatically qualify for the next round. As one of the favourites, City should be able to get this done.
Inter Milan, who City famously defeated 1-0 in the 2023 Champions League final, are unbeaten in Serie A so far. They have won two and drawn two of their four games and sit second in the table. The Italian side are in good form and have the skills and history to challenge City.
Follow all the action from the Etihad Stadium with our live blog below:
Manchester City host Inter Milan in the first round of the Champions League, live on TNT Sports
HALF TIME: Manchester City 0-0 Inter Milan
KICK OFF!
21:46 , Harry Latham-Coyle
What a chance for Ilkay Gundogan! He manages to escape the clutches of Alessandro Bastoni and Francesco Acerbi and is left unmarked on the edge of the six yard box. Josko Gvardiol’s cross bends on to his forehead; Gundogan’s powerful header thuds right into the arms of Yann Sommer.
21:44 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Rodri tries to play the match-winner, as he was when these two met in the final last year. His effort this time is from rather further out and is, by a quite considerable margin, rather less precise.
21:41 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Lautaro Martinez is forced slightly wide by an overhit pass, though manages to create room for a shot inside Manuel Akanji. Ederson claims safely with two open palms as he flops down to his left.
21:39 , Harry Latham-Coyle
And now Simone Inzaghi uses his final switch, with Hakan Calhanoglu making rather less hasty progress to the touchline. The midfielder has worked exceptionally hard tonight, doing his defensive work diligently. Davide Frattesi is on in his place.
21:37 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Saved by Yann Sommer! Comfortable enough for the experienced goalkeeper as Josko Gvardiol lets fly from 20 yards at the end of a sweeping Manchester City move.
Doku is sent on for Bernardo Silva, who sprints off.
21:35 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Still we wait, then, for an end to the deadlock. Jeremy Doku is being readied.
21:33 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Fired over by Henrikh Mkhitaryan! Denzel Dumfries is released on a trademark sprint up the right and the right wing-back finds the right cross, through to Mkhitaryan via a flick of a Manchester City toe. The former Manchester United man is leaning back as he strikes, though, and blazes beyond Ederson’s crossbar.
21:31 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A clever nutmeg from Jack Grealish leaves him wiped out by Nicolo Barella, perhaps fortunate to escape a booking.
Here are those two Inter changes: Yann Bisseck and Matteo Darmian are replaced by Benjamin Pavard and Denzel Dumfries, both starters at the weekend.
21:29 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Pressure is just starting to build on the visitors, who are waiting to make two more changes. Matteo Darmian blocks a Jack Grealish drive behind.
21:28 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Chances for Manchester City! Phil Foden should make more of his shooting chance with Yann Sommer able to keep it out a little too easily, before a driving run from Jack Grealish creates rather tougher opportunities for both Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan. Just two of Manchester City’s 16 effors have now forced Sommer into a save.
21:26 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Jack Grealish is felled 35 yards or so out, wide on the left. Phil Foden and Ilkay Gundogan stand over the set piece as their centre-halves lumber up to provide targets. Foden’s cross is aimed at Erling Haaland’s head, but fails to make it to the bleach blonde bonce.
Richard Jolly at the Etihad Stadium fires across his latest missive: “Having held Lautaro Martinez and Henrikh Mkhitaryan back, Simone Inzaghi has sent both on. A bid for a winner or just looking for fresh legs? Either way, Inter have negotiated the first 20 minutes of the second half with few alarms. So far, they have had three times as many shots on target as City.”
21:22 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A double change from Simone Inzaghi. Henrikh Mkhitaryan replaces Piotr Zielinski, and Lautaro Martinez steps in for Marcus Thuram. The Argentine striker takes the captain’s armband off Nicolo Barella.
21:21 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Bernardo Silva slips in an underlapping Rico Lewis, but Barella is best-placed to collect his cut-back even as three Manchester City shirts circle.
It appears Inter Milan’s first alteration is imminent.
21:19 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Boos from the home crowd as the referee fails to whistle for Nicolo Barella’s tackle on Ilkay Gundogan, though the Inter Milan captain lokos to have got his challenge spot on.
21:17 , Harry Latham-Coyle
You wonder when Simone Inzaghi might think about going to his bench, and Lautaro Martinez particularly. Mehdi Taremi and Marcus Thuram have threatened at times but the latter’s finishing has been poor.
21:14 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A bit of energy about the crowd, and Manchester City, now, growing restless as both sides exchange missed chances.
21:12 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Alessandro Bastoni gives the ball away in his own box, though makes amends by reacting well and jut out a blocking boot as Phil Foden attempts to find the corner. Jack Grealish snatches at it on the follow-up.
21:10 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A short free kick works a crossing opportunity down the right for Manchester City, but Carlos Augusto’s big left boot ensures it causes no further bother.
Wasteful! Inter Milan break with pep and purpose and Matteo Darmian simply has to shoot first time! The right wing-back arrives on to the ball and, instead, doesn’t, taking three or four touches before attempting an ill-conceived, misdirected backheel. Curious!
21:07 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The crowd is again quiet at the start of this second half, having been muted throughout most of the first. Inter Milan look very secure in their shape.
21:05 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Pep Guardiola will certainly hope that Kevin de Bruyne’s injury is not serious, though this sort of situation is perhaps partly exactly why he brought Ilkay Gundogan back to the club. The German is immediately on the ball orchestrating, helping to open an opportunity for Phil Foden to curl at goal from 25 yards. A little high, a little wide, but not too far away at all.
21:03 , Harry Latham-Coyle
It appears, at least initially, as if Phil Foden is playing inside Bernardo Silva, who has taken up the position vacated by Savinho out on the right wing.
21:01 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The players re-emerge, with Manchester City preparing to make a couple of half-time switches. Kevin de Bruyne has not recovered from that injury, and Savinho is also off; on come Ilkay Gundogan and Phil Foden.
20:49 , Richard Jolly at the Etihad Stadium
Quite a quiet half, which reflects how well Inter have done. Erling Haaland has had a couple of efforts, but City have not been dominant. Marcus Thuram looks a threat on the break and Simone Inzaghi’s midfield have been deployed intelligently, not trying to compete with City for possession but excellent off the ball and with fine movement on it.
20:47 , Harry Latham-Coyle
20:47 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Into a minute of added time and Ederson makes a sharp save with his feet from Carlos Augusto. Inter Milan continue to provide threat on the counter-attack.
A set-piece routine is rather less threatening as Nicolo Barella troubles only the pigeons in the rafters. That’s your lot for the first half.
20:44 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Good save! Inter MIlan give the ball away in their own final third and Yann Sommer is forced to come rushing out to shut down the space available to Kevin de Bruyne. Hakan Calhanoglu may have got a touch, too, as he backtracks.
This is a worry for the hosts, though – De Bruyne is grabbing at an injury of some kind after limping away after releasing that shot. Ilkay Gundogan is scrambled to warm-up, though Pep Guardiola may wait to see how his captain is at the interval.
20:42 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Hands on head for Marcus Thuram as he passes up a fine opportunity! The ball comes quickly to the forward on the edge of the box and it is more heel than the side or instep of his foot with which he tries to place it. Neither side can quite find their finishing boots.
20:40 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A glimpse of a chance for Rico Lewis, trying to take and pivot in one motion from Savinho’s inward pass but not quite managing to gather fully. Inter Milan pincer him.
20:37 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Another missed opportunity! Kevin de Bruyne plants a low cross perfectly in the path of Bernardo Silva, who totally miscues his attempt from all of nine yards out. It came across in an inviting manner for the left-footer.
20:36 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Not far away! Erling Haaland picks up the ball in the ‘D’, shifts it out of his feet and fires back against the grain, beating the keeper and also the post with Yann Sommer merely a bystander. A foot or two further inside and it’s buried in the bottom corner.
20:34 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Ruben Dias is furious as he is cautioned having appeared to take the ball when sliding into Piotr Zielinski. It was a delicious drop of the shoulder from the midfielder to allow him to pierce the Manchester City midfield and bear down on Dias – though the centre-back was perhaps harshly done by to be booked for what looked a fair challenge.
Inter don’t make much of the free kick in the centre circle.
20:31 , Harry Latham-Coyle
This is a good period for Inter Milan, though. Gvardiol is employed as a blocker once more as Nicolo Barella knocks against his knees, before Kevin de Bruyne fouls Carlos Augusto to concede a free kick.
Hakan Calhanoglu’s delivery is pinpoint, too, but Marcus Thuram is well offside. Still, plenty to please Simone Inzaghi in the flurry.
20:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A vital header from Josko Gvardiol! The ball appears to have rolled out of play as Ederson lunges to prevent a corner, but the assistant is happy for play to continue and the goalkeeper is therefore kippered as Inter send his clearance goalwards. Forutnately for Ederson, Gvardiol has scrambled to cover a corner and divert the danger.
20:28 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A half-chance for Kevin de Bruyne, getting on to Jack Grealish’s pass at the byline but electing not wrapping his left foot around it to tee up a teammate. Instead, he tries to poke for goal, but it’s skewed into the side netting.
20:24 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Savinho does get his shot away….and should do much better! A cross from the left evades Erling Haaland but bounces through to the Brazilian, who shins it away towards the corner flag.
20:23 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A bit more like it from the home side, though Bernardo Silva can’t get his shot away after some peppy passing.
20:22 , Harry Latham-Coyle
This has been a bit of a dissonant mess of a match so far, neither side particularly in rhythm and Manchester City certainly yet to properly move or groove.
20:19 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The crowd lifts as Erling Haaland leaps and beats Francesco Acerbi in the air. A decent connection on a floated cross, but it is right at Yann Sommer.
20:18 , Harry Latham-Coyle
More encouraging work from Taremi allows an arriving Hakan Calhanoglu a chance to flash at a bouncing ball 20 yards out. It’s below his usual standards of crispness, though, and Ederson is again able to watch it well wide of his left-hand post.
20:16 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A deft backheel from Nicolo Barella sends Yann Bisseck stomping up through the centre of the Etihad pitch, connecting with Mehdi Taremi. He once more sets up Marcus Thuram for a shot, which is wayward.
20:14 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Ederson stands on the ball, safe to survey his territory with no Inter player urgent in their press. Nor, though, are any of his Manchester City teammates willing recipients of a pass – the Brazilian goalkeeper launches long to Erling Haaland, who is beaten in the air. The game has just lost some of the early fizz.
20:11 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A rare error from Kevin de Bruyne, bringing Erling Haaland with him on a quick break but unable to find the Norwegian. A meek pass is cut out by Alessandro Bastoni in comfort.
Haaland, remember, needs one goal to reach the 100 mark in a Manchester City shirt.
20:09 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A confident turn from Yann Bisseck, blindly bopping by Kevin de Bruyne with a flick of his heel 25 yards out from his own goal. No harm done – neet feet from the centre half.
20:07 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Sloppy from Thuram. There’s space apparent as Manchester City turn the ball over, the home midfield all caught upfield, but Mehdi Taremi’s pass to his strike partner is hit with the Frenchman, needlessly, in an offside position.
20:06 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Some lovely interplay from Inter Milan to work the ball up the pitch for the first time, Mehdi Taremi released intelligently. Marcus Thuram peels out to the right and fires a shot on goal, but it is not stern enough a strike to cause Ederson undue trouble.
20:04 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The first shot of the evening comes from Jack Grealish, played in delicately by Kevin de Bruyne. Hakan Calhanoglu recovers to block and Alessandro Bastoni beats Erling Haaland to the bouncing ball.
20:03 , Harry Latham-Coyle
An excellent challenge from Carlos Augusto, tracking back to slide in on Savinho. The left wing-back immediately gives the ball away, though.
20:02 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Inter Milan settle into their back five, with Manchester City controlling possession in the opening exchanges. You suspect that will be the theme of the evening.
Savinho wide on the right, Jack Grealish wide on the left for the hosts, with Rico Lewis tucking in and up from right-back.
20:00 , Harry Latham-Coyle
And we are underway at the Etihad Stadium.
20:00 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Right, here we go. Glenn Nyberg of Sweden has the whistle, laying down the law to Kevin de Bruyne and Nicolo Barella, who swap pennants. Manchester City are sporting their Noel Gallagher-designed change strip, which is selling about as well as Oasis tickets, apparently.
19:57 , Richard Jolly at the Etihad Stadium
“Pep Guardiola was asked yesterday whether Lautaro Martinez should win the Ballon d’Or. A day on, Martinez is benched by Inter for a reunion of the teams who played in the 2023 Champions League final. With Phil Foden named on the City bench by Guardiola, he still has not started a game this season, while Rodri makes his first start.”
19:55 , Harry Latham-Coyle
This revamped competition really is going to be a slog, eight fixtures for each of the entrants to negotiate between now and the end of January. Both of these two have rather significant games in the league on Sunday: Manchester City facing Arsenal; Inter in a Milan derby) – will that have any bearing on their approaches?
19:50 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Lee Carsley is at the Etihad tonight, the England manager casting his eye over Rico Lewis and Jack Grealish in the Manchester City ranks after the pair impressed internationally earlier this month. Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, has suggested ahead of kick off that Rodri is unlikely to last 90 minutes as the Spanish midfielder makes his first start of the season.
19:45 , Mike Jones
Pep Guardiola was full of praise for Man City’s opponent’s tonight when he addressed the media at Tuesday’s pre-match press conference.
“Historical team and incredible mentality,” the City boss said. “They are built to win every single game and to win every competition. Last year they won a lot and that means in the mindset of the players they can do it, which is similar to us.
“They have good high pressing and go man to man so they are similar to Brentford [in that regard] and after they defend with typical Italian mentality that they have to suffer. They are also strong in set pieces. Incredible qualities.
“Good guys from second line, especially [Nicolo] Barella. I don’t know if he will be fit tomorrow but every time from [Federico] Dimarco crosses arrive with four or five players in the box.
“You cannot reach the Champions League final and win Serie A with 90 percent of the same players if you don’t have something special.”
19:40 , Mike Jones
Pep Guardiola says his players know what they need to do during the league phase of this Champions League campaign and that they may need to adjust against Inter tonight.
“It’s not about inspiration or emotion – I am so cold on that.” he said, “The players have to know what they have to do. They have to adjust something. The way [Inter] attack is so difficult to control. It’s the first game of an eight-game group stage. We know what we have to do.”
“We [look to] win our first game and then the second one and see what happens. In the last games, [we will] take a look. Like in the Premier League, we will look at the table in the future. We have to try to win our games at home; otherwise, anything can happen.”
19:35 , Mike Jones
Manchester City midfielder Rodri admitted that the squad watched the 2022/23 Champions League final between the two teams in the build-up to tonight’s match.
He said: “We watched the game [on Monday], analysing them because they haven’t changed much in the way they play. It was great to see it back. This is football – it was a great time and now life goes on. We need to move on and try to start as well as possible in the new competition.
“I am very happy for everything that’s happened to me in recent years. What we’ve won and to win with my country at Euro 2024 is a dream. It’s a consequence of working hard, consistency and never giving up.”
19:30 , Mike Jones
Pep Guardiola said he is fine if Erling Haaland does not improve any more as the forward is set to bring up his Manchester City century at record-breaking pace.
Guardiola admitted he did not expect Haaland to be this prolific as the Norwegian, who has nine goals in his four Premier League matches this season, could get his 100th City goal in Wednesday’s Champions League tie against Internazionale.
Haaland has only played 103 games for City, putting him on pace to reach his hundred even quicker than Cristiano Ronaldo did when his first 100 goals for Real Madrid came in 105 appearances.
Erling Haaland set new scoring challenge ahead of reaching Man City landmark
19:25 , Mike Jones
Inzaghi added that his team aren’t looking for ‘redemption’ after losing to Man City in the final.
He said: “We are aware this isn’t redemption time. I have no regrets after the final in Istanbul – the lads gave all they had. Of course we were heartbroken, but it was single episodes that determined the result, as often happens in football.”
19:20 , Mike Jones
Simone Inzaghi, the Inter manager says his team ‘cannot wait’ to face Manchester City this evening and that the match will not be a repeat of the 2023 final.
Inzaghi said: “We cannot wait. This won’t be a rematch of that [2023] final, that was another story. It will be our first game in the league phase and we want to do our best.
“We know they are tough opponents – one of the best in the world. We need to play well in both phases, trying to help each other out. They have very skillful players.”
19:15 , Mike Jones
Instead of 32 competing sides being divided into eight groups of four, all 36 teams in this year’s Champions League will form a single league. Each entrant will play four games at home and four games away for a total of eight fixtures, two more than under the previous format. These eight encounters will be with eight different opponents.
The top eight sides in the league after the competition’s first phase will progress directly to the last-16. Teams placed ninth to 24th will have to negotiate a play-off round, while teams that finish 25th or lower will be eliminated from all European competition.
The 36 clubs will be seeded into four different pots based on their individual club coefficient at the start of the season. Each team will face two sides from each pot, one at home and one away. Pot 1 will include defending champions Real Madrid and the other strongest club sides by Uefa coefficient.
19:10 , Mike Jones
Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji has voiced his concerns about the expanded format of the Champions League this season.
City, the 2023 winners, begin their latest European campaign as Inter Milan visit the Etihad Stadium.
The Switzerland international said: “It’s getting more complicated with the league. You play different teams, and then Inter don’t have the same opponents as us. It’s just got bigger, more games.
“Then we have the Club World Cup at the end of the season. It’s just game after game and I don’t know how it will work out over the next couple of years.
“It’s so tough, you don’t just think about this season – but also next season. When do we do holidays? There are no breaks in winter.
“If we are lucky we get two weeks and then we need to be back and into next season. There’s no end to it. I don’t know how it works out. Maybe I’ll retire at 30!”
19:05 , Mike Jones
When Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin attends the first games of the new Champions League this week, it will be with a considerable security detail. This has led to grumbles from federation staff, especially since very few people outside football know what he even looks like. There have probably only been two moments when the Slovenian official was properly in the public eye.
One was when the Super League was launched in April 2021 and Ceferin admirably defended the spirit of European football in a defiant media appearance, all while lambasting executives as “snakes” and “liars”. Less publicised from that day was the fact Uefa were also in the process of approving the changes to the Champions League we are going to see enacted this week.
The new Champions League sets up a high-stakes game in football’s ‘turning point’
19:00 , Mike Jones
Thursday 19 September
17:45 Feyenoord v Bayer 04 Leverkusen – TNT Sports 2
17:45 FK Crvena Zvezda v SL Benfica – TNT Sports 4
20:00 Atalanta BC v Arsenal FC – TNT Sports 1
20:00 AS Monaco v FC Barcelona – TNT Sports 2
20:00 Atlético de Madrid v RB Leipzig – TNT Sports 4
20:00 Stade Brestois 29 v SK Sturm Graz – TNT Sports 5
18:55 , Mike Jones
Wednesday 18 September
17:45 AC Sparta Praha v FC Salzburg – TNT Sports 6
17:45 Bologna FC 1909 v FC Shakhtar Donetsk – TNT Sports 4
20:00 Celtic FC v ŠK Slovan Bratislava – TNT Sports 2
20:00 Club Brugge KV v Borussia Dortmund – TNT Sports 5
20:00 Manchester City v FC Internazionale Milano – TNT Sports 1
20:00 Paris Saint-Germain v Girona FC – TNT Sports 4
18:51 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Changes at the back for Inter Milan, with Yann Aurel Bisseck, Francesco Acerbi and Alessandro Bastoni all brought in to a new-look defensive trio from the draw against Monza. Lautaro Martinez is only on the bench.
Inter Milan XI: Sommer; Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Calhanoglu, Zieliński, Carlos Augusto; Thuram, Taremi.
18:47 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Erling Haaland, a goal away from 100 in a Manchester City shirt, starts up front with Pep Guardiola going with a strong side.
Manchester City XI: Ederson; Lewis, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol; Rodri; Savinho, Silva, De Bruyne, Grealish; Haaland.
Tonight’s #UCL squad! 📋
XI | Ederson, Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Rodrigo, De Bruyne (C), Bernardo, Savinho, Grealish, Haaland
SUBS | Ortega Moreno, Carson, Walker, Stones, Kovacic, Doku, Gundogan, Nunes, Foden, McAtee#ManCity pic.twitter.com/aqXzNJJYW5
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 18, 2024
18:40 , Mike Jones
There has been one goalkeeper, Lev Yashin, and a trio of defenders, though Fabio Cannavaro was more of a stopper than the German midfielders, Franz Beckenbauer and Matthias Sammer, who were converted into sweepers.
But there has never been a defensive midfielder. The Ballon d’Or is almost seven decades old and Rodri, the man who earned Manchester City their first Champions League, could be a history maker in another respect.
A trophy that had seemed the private property of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for a decade and a half may have an unlikely winner. Rodri ranks as second favourite, behind Vinicius Junior, for a prize he never imagined he might secure.
A defensive midfielder winning the Ballon d’Or? Why Rodri’s win would be historic
18:35 , Mike Jones
The 28-year-old midfielder spoke about his already heavy workload to argue he is playing too much in light of the fixture schedule increasing with expanisons to the Club World Cup and Champions League.
He said: “From my experience I can tell you that 60-70 [games per season is right]? No. Between 40-50 is the amount of games in which a player can perform in the highest level, after that you drop because it is impossible to sustain the physical level.
“This year we can go to 70, maybe 80, I don’t know. It depends how far you go in the competitions. In my humble opinion I think it is too much. I think we have to take care of ourselves. Someone has to take care of ourselves because we are the main characters of this sport or business or whatever you want to call it.
“Not everything is money or marketing, it is also the quality of the show. When I am not tired I perform better and if the people want to see a better football, we need to rest just something to put in there. When the amount of games starts getting bigger, the performance and quality are lower. Lets see where football goes. I would prefer to have less games and a better quality show for the people, that’s for sure.”
18:30 , Mike Jones
Rodri believes that top footballers are close to going on strike because they are overworked as the schedule increases.
Manchester City could play up to 75 games this season with the expansion of the Champions League and the new Club World Cup next summer, while international football could take the possible maximum for someone to 85 matches.
The midfielder urged football’s governing bodies to think of something other than money as he warned that players may not have an alternative but to go on strike.
“I think we are close to that,” he said. “I think it’s the general opinion of the players. And if it keeps [going] this way, there will be a moment where we have no other option.”
18:25 , Mike Jones
Harry Kane was delighted to be in the same “conversation” as Wayne Rooney after breaking his Champions League record in style.
The Bayern Munich striker went into Tuesday night’s clash with Dinamo Zagreb needing one goal to equal Rooney’s record for an Englishman of 30 in the competition’s main draw.
Ninety minutes later, the current England captain was three ahead of one of his predecessors having plundered four goals in a 9-2 win at the Allianz Arena, three of them from the penalty spot.
Harry Kane breaks Wayne Rooney’s Champions League record with rare hat-trick
18:20 , Mike Jones
The Manchester City boss spoke about his key striker Erling Haaland saying that he is still evolving and improving despite being one of the best forwards in the world.
Guardiola said: “He can evolve, but if you tell me in the next 100 games he scores another 99 goals, for me, it’s fine. I don’t expect he scores two or three in every game; it’s not a problem if that doesn’t happen, but the difference from last season is he feels good.
“Opponents will find a solution to control the number of goals and we have to find a solution to beat them.
“As many games as he plays at this club, he will improve naturally. I played for 11 years as a professional and I scored 11 goals. This guy [has] scored nine in four [this season]. He can equal me in one game.”
18:15 , Mike Jones
The Inter Milan goalkeeper added: “We must put in an outstanding performance against one of the best teams in Europe. We must try to play a great game.
“A new season has started and we don’t expect gifts from the opponents. We’ll need hard work and a big heart for a big Champions League campaign. It’s our target.”
18:10 , Mike Jones
Inter Milan goalkeeper Yann Sommer spoke in his pre-match press conference about facing Manchester City and how he plans to deal with Erling Haaland who has been in unbelievable form so far this season.
Sommer said: “We’ll face an excellent team with a formidable striker, but City are not only Haaland. He receives passes from his team-mates and we have prepared for this game in the best way.
“I am convinced we can do well because we defend well and keep tight spaces.”
18:05 , Mike Jones
After such a grand build-up, the new Champions League’s opening night didn’t exactly suggest new excitement – or much unpredictability at all. Every single one of the pre-match favourites won. At least five of them, and arguably six, did so in a very comfortable manner. Bayern Munich went beyond comfort. They eviscerated Dinamo Zagreb 9-2, a result that should be very damaging for a launch night. It was worse than what came before.
Even if you argue that game at the Allianz was a mismatch that the competition itself is supposed to help in bridging, well, you only have to look at the night’s marquee fixture. Liverpool breezed past Milan in a 3-1 that could have been a 6-1. Rather than a grand restaging of previous finals between historic giants, it was merely a showcase of profound modern problems with the game’s economic framework.
The Champions League itself, of course, has been a powerful engine in creating this disparity. It’s another reason this doesn’t bode well.
New-look Champions League shows football’s biggest problem right from the start
18:00 , Mike Jones
Manchester City are in flying form with Erling Haaland in particular looking as hungry and dangerous as ever.
City will want to start the European campaign strongly and buoyed on by their home crowd they will have enough quality to break down a decent Inter Milan side and claim the win.
Man City 2-0 Inter Milan.
17:55 , Mike Jones
Here’s how we see the two teams lining up this evening:
Man City XI: Ederson; Walker, Akanji, Stones, Lewis; Kovocic, Gundogan; Savinho, De Bruyne, Grealish; Haaland
Inter Milan XI: Sommer; Pavard, De Vrij, Augusto; Darmian, Frattesi, Asllani, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez
It’s also no surprise that Manchester City are the overwhelming favourites to win this one. Check out the latest odds below:
Man City to win 4/9
Draw 13/5
Inter Milan to win 9/2
17:50 , Mike Jones
For Inter Milan, Davide Frattesi and Stefan de Vrij both returned from injury against Monza on Sunday and are back in contention. Nicolo Barella was on the bench so could get the nod to face City, but Tajon Buchanan remains out.
17:45 , Mike Jones
Pep Guardiola hopes Savinho doesn’t have a muscle injury having been brought off early against Brentford at the weekend. Phil Foden has missed three matches due to illness but has resumed training yet will probably not be available for the game.
Rodri returned in the second half against the Bees and may have a bigger role this evening while Erling Haaland is expected to start once more. Oscar Bobb and Nathan Ake are injured.
17:40 , Mike Jones
Manchester City vs Inter Milan will be shown live on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate, with coverage starting at 7pm BST. Subscribers can also watch the match via the Discovery+ app and website.
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17:35 , Mike Jones
The match will kick off at 8pm BST on Wednesday 18 September at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester.
17:30 , Mike Jones
Man City start their Champions League campaign with a home fixture against Inter Milan at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday evening.
The competition has undergone some changes this season with a new league table replacing the group stages. A draw has been made to determine which teams play each other with Pep Guardiola’s side taking on Inter in the first of eight fixtures that also feature Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain.
City defeated Inter Milan in the 2023 Champions League final and will be hoping to do so again this evening to kick off their campaign with a win. However, Inter are unbeaten in Serie A this year having won two and drawn two of their four games.
They are in good form and have the skills and history to take the game to Man City and possibile cause an upset against the Premier League champions.
14:42 , Mike Jones
Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of tonight’s Champions League action as Manchester City get their league phase underway with a testing encounter against Inter Milan.
The match is a repeat of the 2023 Champions League final in which City proved victorious. Pep Guardiola will be hoping for a similar result tonight in order to match the successes of Aston Villa and Liverpool yesterday.
We’ll have all the team news, line-ups and updates throughout the evening so stick with us as we build up to kick off at 8pm.
