In a tightly contested Champions League match, Manchester City and Inter Milan ended their encounter with a 0-0 draw. This match, a rematch of the 2023 final where Manchester City triumphed 1-0 in Istanbul, saw both teams struggle to find the back of the net. Despite the efforts of Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan, who had several close attempts, the game concluded without any goals, marking an unusually low-scoring evening in the Champions League.
This goalless draw was part of an evening where only 13 goals were scored across six matches, a stark contrast to the previous day’s 28 goals. Notably, two matches, including Bologna vs. Shakhtar Donetsk, also ended in 0-0 draws. This is significant given that only 12 of the 144 matches in the new league phase have been played, already reaching half the total number of goalless draws from the previous season’s group-stage format.
In a dramatic turn of events, Paris Saint-Germain secured a last-minute victory against Girona. An unfortunate error by Girona’s goalkeeper, Paulo Gazzaniga, allowed a cross from Nuno Mendes to slip through his legs, gifting PSG a 1-0 win. Girona’s coach Míchel acknowledged the need for hard work to reach their goals.
Borussia Dortmund also had a late surge, with substitutes Jamie Gittens and Serhou Guirassy scoring three goals in the final minutes to secure a 3-0 victory over Club Brugge. Dortmund’s goalkeeper Gregor Kobel made crucial saves to maintain a clean sheet.
Sparta Prague marked their return to the Champions League after 19 years with a 3-0 victory over Salzburg. Meanwhile, Bologna’s ambitious play against Shakhtar Donetsk deserved more, but the match ended goalless after Bologna’s goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski saved a penalty in the fourth minute. Slovan Bratislava, in their first Champions League game since the 1992-93 season, could not withstand Celtic’s attack, losing 5-1 in Glasgow.
A unique aspect of this Champions League season is the new format, with 36 teams each playing eight different opponents, culminating in a single league table to determine the knockout phase participants. On a rare Thursday of Champions League action, matches include Barcelona visiting Monaco, Atalanta hosting Arsenal, and Bayer Leverkusen facing Feyenoord.
In this goalless draw, Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan missed two crucial headed opportunities late in the game. This was the first time City failed to score at home in Europe since a 0-0 draw with Sporting Lisbon in March 2022. Despite the result, City extended their unbeaten home run in European competitions to 32 matches.
Dortmund, known for their defensive prowess with six clean sheets last season, once again displayed their defensive strength. Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel’s five saves ensured a clean sheet against Club Brugge, despite intense pressure and numerous goal attempts from the Belgian side.
Salzburg, under new coach Pep Lijnders, faces a heavy schedule this season, including participation in the Club World Cup in the United States. Despite their extensive fixture list, Salzburg was overpowered by Sparta Prague in a 3-0 defeat.
