City Held to Goalless Draw by Inter, PSG Secure Victory with Dramatic 90th-Minute Goal
Manchester City began their UEFA Champions League campaign with a lackluster 0-0 draw against Inter Milan on Wednesday, while Paris Saint-Germain needed a last-minute goal to overcome tournament newcomers Girona. Despite winning all four of their Premier League matches this season, Pep Guardiola’s side struggled to break down the Italian champions in a repeat of the 2023 final, which City won.
City’s star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne was forced off due to injury at half-time, and Phil Foden had their best chance of the match, only to fire straight at Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer. Erling Haaland, chasing his 100th goal for the club, was kept quiet throughout the match.
“It was a very intense game against a strong opponent. We knew what was coming, they are a top team as well and they are used to winning, so we were not going to have an easy job,” City defender Ruben Dias told TNT Sports.
Inter nearly snatched victory 15 minutes from time when Henrikh Mkhitaryan missed a clear chance, firing over the bar. The draw extended City’s unbeaten run in the competition to 24 matches, just one short of the record set by Manchester United between 2007 and 2009. It also marked only the second time in 42 home Champions League games under Guardiola that City failed to score.
“Our plan was to show that we’re not scared to play here,” said Inter midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, reflecting on his team’s determined performance.
Over in Paris, PSG looked set for a draw against Girona, who were making their European debut. But a 90th-minute error from goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga allowed Nuno Mendes’ cross to slip through his hands, securing a narrow 1-0 win for the French champions.
“It was a difficult game, they’re a team that plays well with the ball,” Mendes told Canal Plus. “I was surprised (by the goal). The goalkeeper was there and it got through.”
Dortmund and Celtic Secure Dominant Wins
Elsewhere in the competition, Borussia Dortmund, last season’s runners-up, cruised to a 3-0 victory over Club Brugge, thanks to a standout performance from English winger Jamie Gittens. The 20-year-old came off the bench to score twice, with Serhou Guirassy adding a stoppage-time penalty to seal the win.
Celtic celebrated a commanding 5-1 victory over Slovan Bratislava in Glasgow, marking their first win in an opening Champions League game in 13 attempts. Goals from Liam Scales, Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda, and Adam Idah powered the Scottish champions to an impressive start.
“It’s a fantastic night,” said Celtic captain Callum McGregor to TNT Sports. “I hope the supporters enjoyed it because the managers and players did. This is the next level for the group in terms of growth and development.”
Other Results
In other matches, Bologna played out a goalless draw at home against Shakhtar Donetsk in their first-ever Champions League match. Bologna’s Lukasz Skorupski made a crucial save, stopping a penalty from Shakhtar’s Georgiy Sudakov early in the game.
Sparta Prague enjoyed a 3-0 victory over Red Bull Salzburg, with goals from Kaan Kairinen, Victor Olatunji, and Qazim Laci, securing their first group-stage win since 2003.
The Champions League’s new season has already delivered surprises and drama, setting the stage for an exciting group stage as teams battle for progression to the knockout rounds.
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