Man Metropolis vs Inter Milan LIVE: Champions League rating as Rodri begins at Etihad Stadium

Manchester City kick off their Champions League marketing campaign with a house fixture in opposition to Inter Milan in what must be an entertaining and thrilling encounter on the Etihad Stadium. Pep Guardiola might be hoping to safe an early qualification for the knockout levels forward of doubtless difficult outings in opposition to Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain later within the competitors.

Metropolis reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League final yr earlier than shedding to Real Madrid in a penalty shootout and the 2023 champions might be hoping to raised that end during this newly revamped tournament. They are going to play an preliminary eight video games and attempt to end inside the highest eight of a league desk to routinely qualify for the following spherical. As one of many favourites, Metropolis ought to have the ability to get this performed.

Inter Milan, who Metropolis famously defeated 1-0 within the 2023 Champions League ultimate, are unbeaten in Serie A up to now. They’ve gained two and drawn two of their 4 video games and sit second within the desk. The Italian aspect are in good kind and have the talents and historical past to problem Metropolis.

Comply with all of the motion from the Etihad Stadium with our reside weblog under:

Man Metropolis v Inter Milan LIVE

• Manchester Metropolis host Inter Milan within the first spherical of the Champions League, reside on TNT Sports activities

• KICK OFF!

• Man Metropolis XI: Ederson; Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol; Rodri; Savinho, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Grealish; Haaland

• Inter Milan XI: Sommer; Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Calhanoglu, Zieliński, Carlos Augusto; Thuram, Taremi.

Manchester Metropolis 0-0 Inter Milan, 7 minutes

20:07 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Sloppy from Thuram. There’s house obvious as Manchester Metropolis flip the ball over, the house midfield all caught upfield, however Mehdi Taremi’s cross to his strike companion is hit with the Frenchman, needlessly, in an offside place.

Manchester Metropolis 0-0 Inter Milan, 6 minutes

20:06 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Some pretty interaction from Inter Milan to work the ball up the pitch for the primary time, Mehdi Taremi launched intelligently. Marcus Thuram peels out to the correct and fires a shot on objective, however it’s not stern sufficient a strike to trigger Ederson undue bother.

Manchester Metropolis 0-0 Inter Milan, 4 minutes

20:04 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The primary shot of the night comes from Jack Grealish, performed in delicately by Kevin de Bruyne. Hakan Calhanoglu recovers to dam and Alessandro Bastoni beats Erling Haaland to the bouncing ball.

Manchester Metropolis 0-0 Inter Milan, 3 minutes

20:03 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A wonderful problem from Carlos Augusto, monitoring again to slip in on Savinho. The left wing-back instantly offers the ball away, although.

Manchester Metropolis 0-0 Inter Milan, 2 minutes

20:02 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Inter Milan settle into their again 5, with Manchester Metropolis controlling possession within the opening exchanges. You watched that would be the theme of the night.

Savinho vast on the correct, Jack Grealish vast on the left for the hosts, with Rico Lewis tucking in and up from right-back.

KICK OFF!

20:00 , Harry Latham-Coyle

And we’re underway on the Etihad Stadium.

Manchester Metropolis vs Inter Milan

20:00 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Proper, right here we go. Glenn Nyberg of Sweden has the whistle, laying down the legislation to Kevin de Bruyne and Nicolo Barella, who swap pennants. Manchester Metropolis are sporting their Noel Gallagher-designed change strip, which is promoting about in addition to Oasis tickets, apparently.

Manchester Metropolis vs Inter Milan

19:57 , Richard Jolly on the Etihad Stadium

“Pep Guardiola was requested yesterday whether or not Lautaro Martinez ought to win the Ballon d’Or. A day on, Martinez is benched by Inter for a reunion of the groups who performed within the 2023 Champions League ultimate. With Phil Foden named on the Metropolis bench by Guardiola, he nonetheless has not began a sport this season, whereas Rodri makes his first begin.”

Manchester Metropolis vs Inter Milan

19:55 , Harry Latham-Coyle

This revamped competitors actually goes to be a slog, eight fixtures for every of the entrants to barter between now and the top of January. Each of those two have relatively vital video games within the league on Sunday: Manchester Metropolis going through Arsenal; Inter in a Milan derby) – will which have any bearing on their approaches?

Manchester Metropolis vs Inter Milan

19:50 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Lee Carsley is on the Etihad tonight, the England supervisor casting his eye over Rico Lewis and Jack Grealish within the Manchester Metropolis ranks after the pair impressed internationally earlier this month. Pep Guardiola, in the meantime, has prompt forward of kick off that Rodri is unlikely to final 90 minutes because the Spanish midfielder makes his first begin of the season.

Guardiola on Inter Milan

19:45 , Mike Jones

Pep Guardiola was stuffed with reward for Man Metropolis’s opponent’s tonight when he addressed the media at Tuesday’s pre-match press convention.

“Historic staff and unimaginable mentality,” the Metropolis boss mentioned. “They’re constructed to win each single sport and to win each competitors. Final yr they gained quite a bit and which means within the mindset of the gamers they’ll do it, which is analogous to us.

“They’ve good excessive urgent and go man to man so they’re just like Brentford [in that regard] and after they defend with typical Italian mentality that they must undergo. They’re additionally robust in set items. Unbelievable qualities.

“Good guys from second line, particularly [Nicolo] Barella. I don’t know if he might be match tomorrow however each time from [Federico] Dimarco crosses arrive with 4 or 5 gamers within the field.

“You can’t attain the Champions League ultimate and win Serie A with 90 p.c of the identical gamers in the event you don’t have one thing particular.”

‘We all know what we’ve to do’ says Guardiola

19:40 , Mike Jones

Pep Guardiola says his gamers know what they should do in the course of the league section of this Champions League marketing campaign and that they could want to regulate in opposition to Inter tonight.

“It’s not about inspiration or emotion – I’m so chilly on that.” he mentioned, “The gamers must know what they must do. They’ve to regulate one thing. The best way [Inter] assault is so troublesome to regulate. It’s the primary sport of an eight-game group stage. We all know what we’ve to do.”

“We [look to] win our first sport after which the second and see what occurs. Within the final video games, [we will] have a look. Like within the Premier League, we’ll have a look at the desk sooner or later. We’ve got to attempt to win our video games at dwelling; in any other case, something can occur.”

Metropolis watched 2023 ultimate to arrange for tonight’s match

19:35 , Mike Jones

Manchester Metropolis midfielder Rodri admitted that the squad watched the 2022/23 Champions League ultimate between the 2 groups within the build-up to tonight’s match.

He mentioned: “We watched the sport [on Monday], analysing them as a result of they haven’t modified a lot in the way in which they play. It was nice to see it again. That is soccer – it was a good time and now life goes on. We have to transfer on and attempt to begin in addition to potential within the new competitors.

“I’m very joyful for every thing that’s occurred to me in recent times. What we’ve gained and to win with my nation at Euro 2024 is a dream. It’s a consequence of working exhausting, consistency and by no means giving up.”

Erling Haaland set new scoring problem forward of reaching Man Metropolis landmark

19:30 , Mike Jones

Pep Guardiola mentioned he’s wonderful if Erling Haaland doesn’t enhance any extra because the ahead is ready to carry up his Manchester City century at record-breaking tempo.

Guardiola admitted he didn’t count on Haaland to be this prolific because the Norwegian, who has 9 objectives in his 4 Premier League matches this season, may get his one centesimal Metropolis objective in Wednesday’s Champions League tie in opposition to Internazionale.

Haaland has solely performed 103 video games for Metropolis, placing him on tempo to succeed in his hundred even faster than Cristiano Ronaldo did when his first 100 objectives for Actual Madrid got here in 105 appearances.

Erling Haaland set new scoring challenge ahead of reaching Man City landmark

‘This isn’t redemption time’

19:25 , Mike Jones

Inzaghi added that his staff aren’t searching for ‘redemption’ after shedding to Man Metropolis within the ultimate.

He mentioned: “We’re conscious this isn’t redemption time. I’ve no regrets after the ultimate in Istanbul – the lads gave all they’d. After all we have been heartbroken, nevertheless it was single episodes that decided the end result, as typically occurs in soccer.”

Pre-match ideas from Inter Milan boss

19:20 , Mike Jones

Simone Inzaghi, the Inter supervisor says his staff ‘can not wait’ to face Manchester Metropolis this night and that the match is not going to be a repeat of the 2023 ultimate.

Inzaghi mentioned: “We can not wait. This gained’t be a rematch of that [2023] ultimate, that was one other story. It will likely be our first sport within the league section and we need to do our greatest.

“We all know they’re powerful opponents – top-of-the-line on the planet. We have to play nicely in each phases, attempting to assist one another out. They’ve very skillful gamers.”

What’s the new Champions League format?

19:15 , Mike Jones

As an alternative of 32 competing sides being divided into eight teams of 4, all 36 groups on this yr’s Champions League will kind a single league. Every entrant will play 4 video games at dwelling and 4 video games away for a complete of eight fixtures, two greater than below the earlier format. These eight encounters might be with eight completely different opponents.

The highest eight sides within the league after the competitors’s first section will progress on to the last-16. Groups positioned ninth to twenty fourth should negotiate a play-off spherical, whereas groups that end twenty fifth or decrease might be eradicated from all European competitors.

The 36 golf equipment might be seeded into 4 completely different pots primarily based on their particular person membership coefficient initially of the season. Every staff will face two sides from every pot, one at dwelling and one away. Pot 1 will embody defending champions Actual Madrid and the opposite strongest membership sides by Uefa coefficient.

Manuel Akanji involved about further workload

19:10 , Mike Jones

Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji has voiced his considerations concerning the expanded format of the Champions League this season.

Metropolis, the 2023 winners, start their newest European marketing campaign as Inter Milan go to the Etihad Stadium.

The Switzerland worldwide mentioned: “It’s getting extra difficult with the league. You play completely different groups, after which Inter don’t have the identical opponents as us. It’s simply bought larger, extra video games.

“Then we’ve the Membership World Cup on the finish of the season. It’s simply sport after sport and I don’t know the way it will work out over the following couple of years.

“It’s so powerful, you don’t simply take into consideration this season – but additionally subsequent season. When can we do holidays? There are not any breaks in winter.

“If we’re fortunate we get two weeks after which we should be again and into subsequent season. There’s no finish to it. I don’t know the way it works out. Possibly I’ll retire at 30!”

The brand new Champions League units up a high-stakes sport in soccer’s ‘turning level’

19:05 , Mike Jones

When Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin attends the primary video games of the brand new Champions League this week, it will likely be with a substantial safety element. This has led to grumbles from federation workers, particularly since only a few folks exterior soccer know what he even appears like. There have in all probability solely been two moments when the Slovenian official was correctly within the public eye.

One was when the Tremendous League was launched in April 2021 and Ceferin admirably defended the spirit of European soccer in a defiant media look, all whereas lambasting executives as “snakes” and “liars”. Much less publicised from that day was the actual fact Uefa have been additionally within the technique of approving the adjustments to the Champions League we’re going to see enacted this week.

The new Champions League sets up a high-stakes game in football’s ‘turning point’

The place to observe each Champions League fixture on TV this week

19:00 , Mike Jones

Thursday 19 September

17:45 Feyenoord v Bayer 04 Leverkusen – TNT Sports activities 2

17:45 FK Crvena Zvezda v SL Benfica – TNT Sports activities 4

20:00 Atalanta BC v Arsenal FC – TNT Sports activities 1

20:00 AS Monaco v FC Barcelona – TNT Sports activities 2

20:00 Atlético de Madrid v RB Leipzig – TNT Sports activities 4

20:00 Stade Brestois 29 v SK Sturm Graz – TNT Sports activities 5

The place to observe each Champions League fixture on TV this week

18:55 , Mike Jones

Wednesday 18 September

17:45 AC Sparta Praha v FC Salzburg – TNT Sports activities 6

17:45 Bologna FC 1909 v FC Shakhtar Donetsk – TNT Sports activities 4

20:00 Celtic FC v ŠK Slovan Bratislava – TNT Sports activities 2

20:00 Membership Brugge KV v Borussia Dortmund – TNT Sports activities 5

20:00 Manchester Metropolis v FC Internazionale Milano – TNT Sports activities 1

20:00 Paris Saint-Germain v Girona FC – TNT Sports activities 4

Crew information – Inter Milan

18:51 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Modifications on the again for Inter Milan, with Yann Aurel Bisseck, Francesco Acerbi and Alessandro Bastoni all introduced in to a new-look defensive trio from the draw in opposition to Monza. Lautaro Martinez is just on the bench.

Inter Milan XI: Sommer; Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Calhanoglu, Zieliński, Carlos Augusto; Thuram, Taremi.

Crew information – Manchester Metropolis

18:47 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Erling Haaland, a objective away from 100 in a Manchester Metropolis shirt, begins up entrance with Pep Guardiola going with a robust aspect.

Manchester Metropolis XI: Ederson; Lewis, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol; Rodri; Savinho, Silva, De Bruyne, Grealish; Haaland.

A defensive midfielder successful the Ballon d’Or? Why Rodri’s win can be a historic second

18:40 , Mike Jones

There was one goalkeeper, Lev Yashin, and a trio of defenders, although Fabio Cannavaro was extra of a stopper than the German midfielders, Franz Beckenbauer and Matthias Sammer, who have been transformed into sweepers.

However there has by no means been a defensive midfielder. The Ballon d’Or is sort of seven a long time outdated and Rodri, the person who earned Manchester Metropolis their first Champions League, may very well be a historical past maker in one other respect.

A trophy that had appeared the non-public property of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for a decade and a half could have an unlikely winner. Rodri ranks as second favourite, behind Vinicius Junior, for a prize he by no means imagined he may safe.

A defensive midfielder winning the Ballon d’Or? Why Rodri’s win would be historic

‘It’s inconceivable to maintain’: Rodri speaks out on improve to the schedule

18:35 , Mike Jones

The 28-year-old midfielder spoke about his already heavy workload to argue he’s enjoying an excessive amount of in mild of the fixture schedule rising with expanisons to the Membership World Cup and Champions League.

He mentioned: “From my expertise I can let you know that 60-70 [games per season is right]? No. Between 40-50 is the quantity of video games by which a participant can carry out within the highest stage, after that you just drop as a result of it’s inconceivable to maintain the bodily stage.

“This yr we will go to 70, perhaps 80, I don’t know. It relies upon how far you go within the competitions. In my humble opinion I feel it’s an excessive amount of. I feel we’ve to maintain ourselves. Somebody has to maintain ourselves as a result of we’re the principle characters of this sport or enterprise or no matter you need to name it.

“Not every thing is cash or advertising, it’s also the standard of the present. When I’m not drained I carry out higher and if the folks need to see a greater soccer, we have to relaxation simply one thing to place in there. When the quantity of video games begins getting larger, the efficiency and high quality are decrease. Lets see the place soccer goes. I would favor to have much less video games and a greater high quality present for the folks, that’s for positive.”

Rodri warns gamers may strike over improve in fixtures

18:30 , Mike Jones

Rodri believes that prime footballers are near happening strike as a result of they’re overworked because the schedule will increase.

Manchester City may play as much as 75 video games this season with the growth of the Champions League and the brand new Membership World Cup subsequent summer season, whereas worldwide soccer may take the potential most for somebody to 85 matches.

The midfielder urged soccer’s governing our bodies to think about one thing aside from cash as he warned that gamers could not have an alternate however to go on strike.

“I feel we’re near that,” he mentioned. “I feel it’s the final opinion of the gamers. And if it retains [going] this manner, there might be a second the place we’ve no different choice.”

‘I hold all of the balls’: Harry Kane breaks Wayne Rooney’s Champions League report with uncommon hat-trick

18:25 , Mike Jones

Harry Kane was delighted to be in the identical “dialog” as Wayne Rooney after breaking his Champions League report in fashion.

The Bayern Munich striker went into Tuesday night time’s conflict with Dinamo Zagreb needing one objective to equal Rooney’s report for an Englishman of 30 within the competitors’s principal draw.

Ninety minutes later, the present England captain was three forward of considered one of his predecessors having plundered four goals in a 9-2 win on the Allianz Area, three of them from the penalty spot.

Harry Kane breaks Wayne Rooney’s Champions League record with rare hat-trick

Pep Guradiola on Erling Haaland

18:20 , Mike Jones

The Manchester Metropolis boss spoke about his key striker Erling Haaland saying that he’s nonetheless evolving and bettering regardless of being top-of-the-line forwards on the planet.

Guardiola mentioned: “He can evolve, however in the event you inform me within the subsequent 100 video games he scores one other 99 objectives, for me, it’s wonderful. I don’t count on he scores two or three in each sport; it’s not an issue if that doesn’t occur, however the distinction from final season is he feels good.

“Opponents will discover a resolution to regulate the variety of objectives and we’ve to discover a resolution to beat them.

“As many video games as he performs at this membership, he’ll enhance naturally. I performed for 11 years as an expert and I scored 11 objectives. This man [has] scored 9 in 4 [this season]. He can equal me in a single sport.”

‘We have to be excellent’ says Sommer

18:15 , Mike Jones

The Inter Milan goalkeeper added: “We should put in an impressive efficiency in opposition to top-of-the-line groups in Europe. We should attempt to play an excellent sport.

“A brand new season has began and we don’t count on items from the opponents. We’ll want exhausting work and a giant coronary heart for a giant Champions League marketing campaign. It’s our goal.”

Yann Sommer on prospect of going through Erling Haaland

18:10 , Mike Jones

Inter Milan goalkeeper Yann Sommer spoke in his pre-match press convention about going through Manchester Metropolis and the way he plans to cope with Erling Haaland who has been in unbelievable kind up to now this season.

Sommer mentioned: “We’ll face a wonderful staff with a formidable striker, however Metropolis aren’t solely Haaland. He receives passes from his team-mates and we’ve ready for this sport in one of the simplest ways.

“I’m satisfied we will do nicely as a result of we defend nicely and hold tight areas.”

New-look Champions League reveals soccer’s greatest drawback proper from the beginning

18:05 , Mike Jones

After such a grand build-up, the brand new Champions League’s opening night time didn’t precisely counsel new pleasure – or a lot unpredictability in any respect. Each single one of many pre-match favourites gained. At the least 5 of them, and arguably six, did so in a really comfy method. Bayern Munich went past consolation. They eviscerated Dinamo Zagreb 9-2, a end result that must be very damaging for a launch night time. It was worse than what got here earlier than.

Even in the event you argue that sport on the Allianz was a mismatch that the competitors itself is meant to assist in bridging, nicely, you solely have to have a look at the night time’s marquee fixture. Liverpool breezed past Milan in a 3-1 that might have been a 6-1. Fairly than a grand restaging of earlier finals between historic giants, it was merely a showcase of profound modern problems with the game’s economic framework.

The Champions League itself, in fact, has been a robust engine in creating this disparity. It’s one more reason this doesn’t bode nicely.

New-look Champions League shows football’s biggest problem right from the start

Manchester Metropolis vs Inter Milan prediction

18:00 , Mike Jones

Manchester Metropolis are in flying kind with Erling Haaland particularly wanting as hungry and harmful as ever.

Metropolis will need to begin the European marketing campaign strongly and buoyed on by their dwelling crowd they’ll have sufficient high quality to interrupt down a good Inter Milan aspect and declare the win.

Man Metropolis 2-0 Inter Milan.

Predicted line-ups and newest odds

17:55 , Mike Jones

Right here’s how we see the 2 groups lining up this night:

Man Metropolis 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 additionally no shock that Manchester Metropolis are the overwhelming favourites to win this one. Take a look at the newest odds under:

Man Metropolis to win 4/9

Draw 13/5

Inter Milan to win 9/2

What’s the Inter Milan staff information?

17:50 , Mike Jones

For Inter Milan, Davide Frattesi and Stefan de Vrij each returned from damage in opposition to Monza on Sunday and are again in competition. Nicolo Barella was on the bench so may get the nod to face Metropolis, however Tajon Buchanan stays out.

What’s the Man Metropolis staff information?

17:45 , Mike Jones

Pep Guardiola hopes Savinho doesn’t have a muscle damage having been introduced off early in opposition to Brentford on the weekend. Phil Foden has missed three matches because of sickness however has resumed coaching but will in all probability not be out there for the sport.

Rodri returned within the second half in opposition to the Bees and should have an even bigger position this night whereas Erling Haaland is anticipated to begin as soon as extra. Oscar Bobb and Nathan Ake are injured.

Is Man Metropolis vs Inter Milan on TV?

17:40 , Mike Jones

Manchester City vs Inter Milan might be proven reside on TNT Sports activities 1 and TNT Sports activities Final, with protection beginning at 7pm BST. Subscribers also can watch the match by way of the Discovery+ app and web site.

In case you’re travelling overseas and need to watch main sporting occasions, you may want a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is right here to assist and contains deals on VPNs out there. Viewers utilizing a VPN have to make it possible for they adjust to any native rules the place they’re, and in addition with the phrases of their service supplier.

When is Man Metropolis vs Inter Milan?

17:35 , Mike Jones

The match will kick off at 8pm BST on Wednesday 18 September on the Etihad Stadium in Manchester.

Manchester Metropolis kick off Champions League marketing campaign

17:30 , Mike Jones

Man Metropolis begin their Champions League marketing campaign with a house fixture in opposition to Inter Milan on the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.

The competitors has undergone some adjustments this season with a brand new league desk changing the group levels. A draw has been made to find out which groups play one another with Pep Guardiola’s aspect taking over Inter within the first of eight fixtures that additionally function Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain.

Metropolis defeated Inter Milan within the 2023 Champions League ultimate and might be hoping to take action once more this night to kick off their marketing campaign with a win. Nevertheless, Inter are unbeaten in Serie A this yr having gained two and drawn two of their 4 video games.

They’re in good kind and have the talents and historical past to take the sport to Man Metropolis and possibile trigger an upset in opposition to the Premier League champions.

Good night!

14:42 , Mike Jones

Welcome to The Impartial’s protection of tonight’s Champions League motion as Manchester Metropolis get their league section underway with a testing encounter in opposition to Inter Milan.

The match is a repeat of the 2023 Champions League ultimate by which Metropolis proved victorious. Pep Guardiola might be hoping for the same end result tonight to be able to match the successes of Aston Villa and Liverpool yesterday.

We’ll have all of the staff information, line-ups and updates all through the night so follow us as we construct as much as kick off at 8pm.