Manchester City’s quest to reconquer the Champions League began with a whimper on Wednesday as Inter Milan held out for a 0-0 draw at the Etihad.
One of the selling points of the new expanded Champions League format was to bring together the continent’s elite teams more often before the knockout stage.
A repeat of the 2023 final, won 1-0 by City, did little to set the pulses racing, but Inter will feel they should have inflicted a first home defeat in Europe in six years for Pep Guardiola’s men.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan blazed over the best chance of the match 15 minutes from time.
City have started the defence of their Premier League title in relentless fashion with four consecutive wins but failed to hit their stride as Inter comfortably held out.
Rodri, who scored the winning goal when the sides met in Istanbul 15 months ago, was restored to the City starting line-up for the first time this season after his exertions in helping Spain to win Euro 2024.
Despite his presence, Inter were composed in possession as they often pierced the City press but were lacking in composure in the final third to take advantage.
Simone Inzaghi left captain Lautaro Martinez on the bench with Mehdi Taremi and Marcus Thuram preferred up front.
Thuram had the visitors’ best sight of goal in the first half but sidefooted wide from the edge of the box.
At the other end, Erling Haaland was finding Inter a far harder nut to crack than he has faced in scoring nine times in four Premier League games this season.
The Norwegian came closest to breaking the deadlock before half-time with a low effort that flew inches past the post with Yann Sommer stranded.
City face Arsenal in a top-of-the-table Premier League clash on Sunday and were dealt a blow just before half-time when Kevin De Bruyne limped away after his attempted cross was blocked behind by Sommer.
The Belgian was replaced at the break, along with Savinho, as Guardiola called on Ilkay Gundogan and Phil Foden to inject some verve into the City attack.
However, the cagey pattern continued with few chances for either side.
Matteo Darmian spurned a rare opening when he overhit a backheel trying to find Nicolo Barella, provoking a wild outburst of frustration from his manager.
City’s abundance of attacking talent finally sparked into life when an intricate move involving Jack Grealish and Gundogan teed up Foden, who forced Sommer into his first meaningful save 20 minutes from time.
Inter then nearly capped a mature away performance with the telling blow.
Denzel Dumfries galloped clear down the right and his deflected cross fell perfectly into the path of former Manchester United man Mkhitaryan, who failed to hit the target.
Sommer was called into action once more to repel Josko Gvardiol’s effort from the edge of the box.
Gundogan then had the chance to snatch victory with the final touch of the game when he headed over Jeremy Doku’s cross.
But neither side could argue they did enough to merit all three points as the spoils were shared.
