Final score

16 September 2009 20:45

Inter
FC Barcelona
Referee: Wolfgang Stark / Linesmen: Salver, Pickel / Fourth official: Fritz
Minute Text commentary
46' Half time. Inter 0-0 Barcelona.
46' Ibra backheels through to Messi but the Swede overhits his pass and Julio Cesar makes the ball his.
45' One minute of additional time.
45' Barça launch a fast counter-attack and the unpredictable Lionel Messi forces a tipped save from Julio Cesar. Nothing comes of the resulting corner.
44' Sneijder swings in a free kick from a deep position out on the left. Daniel Alves heads to safety.
43' Julio Cesar smothers the ball, denying Ibra a clear chance from Messi's through pass.
41' Keita misses a sitter as Barcelona come back at the Nerazzurri.
40' Piqué intercepts Eto'o's low cross for Milito after a moment of defensive suicide by Abidal.
39' Messi unleashes a fierce 20-yard shot. Samuel blocks it with his back.
38' Inter attack back. Milito gets to the byline and crosses for Eto'o. Valdes snatches the ball.
37' Thierry Henry receives a short pass from Ibrahimovic before sending wide a left-footed shot.
34' Back in our half, Xavi floats a pass into the box. Messi fails to connect.
33' Wesley Sneijder sidesteps Keita with a deft touch of the ball and sends his snapshot over the bar.
32' Muntari shoots from an impossible angle. His effort takes Valdes by surprise but it's off target.
29' Inter hit Barça on the break and Milito forces a save from Valdes with a crisp low shot.
23' Barcelona winger Keita sends a 20-yard shot wide of the target.
20' Ibrahimovic makes a headed clearance from Sneijder's right-wing corner and Barça come surging forward on the break. Messi is stopped in his tracks by Cristian Chivu, who times his tackle to perfection.
16' Stark blows for a foul in the box by Ibrahimovic after Daniel Alves' right-wing cross takes a dangerous deflection.
15' Brilliant sliding tackle by Lucio on Ibra as Barcelona launch a counter-attack.
12' Maicon gets into a shooting position and sends his 20-yard swerving drive over the crossbar.
9' Totally unmarked in the box, Messi sees his header from Xavi's pass blocked by Lucio. Xavi follows up with a better attempt, but Julio Cesar says no to the Spaniard.
8' Another scoring opportunity for Barcelona as Zlatan Ibrahimovic blasts wide from an inviting position inside the area.
7' Daniel Alves collects the ball on the right side of our area and sends a low drive wide of Julio Cesar's right-hand post.
6' Sneijder plays an intelligent ball into the area but Valdes gets to it before Milito.
2' Julio Cesar gets down low to his left and blocks Messi's low shot on goal after a darting run by the Argentine.
1' That long hot summer we were talking about before Inter-Parma on Sunday has come to an abrupt end. The temperature has dropped sharply, it's raining, and it's already coat-wearing time in Milan.
1' Inter kick off and the Meazza roars. FORZA INTER!!!!
1' Here we go with the lineups: <br> Inter: Julio Cesar; Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Chivu; Muntari, Zanetti, Thiago Motta; Sneijder; Eto'o, Milito.<br>Barcelona: Valdes; Daniel Alves, Puyol, Piqué, Abidal; Xavi Hernandez, Touré, Keita, Messi, Ibrahimovic, Henry.
1' But the atmosphere at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza tonight is red hot as the Inter fans prepare to welcome the Nerazzurri for our first match of the 2009/10 Champions League.
Minute Text commentary
47' That's it. Inter's 2009/10 Champions League campaign starts with a 0-0 draw with reigning European champions Barcelona.
45' Two minutes of added time.
45' Messi's curling free kick sails wide of Julio Cesar's right-hand post.
45' Chivu is shown a yellow card for a foul on Lionel Messi.
40' Inter bring on Mario Balotelli for Diego Milito.
39' The resulting free kick is taken by Eto'o. His low effort is saved by Valdes.
38' Eto'o plays through to the onrushing Santon and the 18-year-old full-back goes down under a challenge from Touré, who gets a booking.
36' Maicon swings in a high free kick from the right wing. Valdes saves.
35' Substitution number two for Inter. Davide Santon on, Wesley Sneijder off.
34' Ibra has a shot blocked by Samuel and Milito makes a headed clearance from the resulting corner, taking by Xavi.
32' Guardiola shuffles his pack. Andres Iniesta replaces Thierry Henry.
29' Another dodgy offside decision as Milito is stopped by the flag.
28' Incredible miss by Messi. The Barcelona number ten connects with Henry's cross-shot and slides over the crossbar from six yards out.
25' Messi creates havoc with one of his trademark runs but the Argentine bumps into Maicon, who brings the ball out of defence with one of his trademark runs.
23' Keita flashes a dangerous low cross into our six-yard box. Luckily for us, Ibrahimovic fails to connect.
21' Ibra darts into our box from the right but runs into a Stankovic-Samuel sandwich. Inter hit Barça on the break and Milito shrugs off challenges from Abidal and Puyol before Stankovic rifles narrowly over.
20' The flag goes up as Eto'o latches on to Maicon's pass from the right wing, but the Cameroonian looked to be level.
18' Ibrahimovic fires wide from distance.
17' Mourinho makes his first substitution. Dejan Stankovic comes on for Sulley Muntari.
17' Keita's placed shot from just outside our box goes way over the bar.
16' With a bicycle kick Lucio clears Messi's skywards header from Abibal's whipped cross.
15' Ibra is flagged for offside as he muscles past Samuel to reach Xavi's low through ball.
13' Samuel does brilliantly to intercept Messi's high ball over the defence for Henry.
12' Lucio commits a foul in the Barcelona area after a teasing right-wing free kick from Sneijder.
9' Out comes the first card. It goes to Thierry Henry for foul play.
8' Henry gets to the byline and looks for Messi with his pull-back. Cristian Chivu makes a last-gasp interception.
5' Thiago Motta sends a 25-yard shot on target. Valdes saves.
3' And a chance for Barça at the other end. Xavi plays a looping pass over our defence and Zlatan hooks over.
2' A chance for Inter. Eto'o serves Sneijder after brilliantly controlling the ball and the Dutchman sends his low shot a whisker wide of Valdes' left-hand post.
1' Barcelona get the match restarted.
Zanetti
6.34
6.34
Stankovic
7.03
7.03
Julio Cesar
7.23
7.23
Samuel
8.54
8.54
Maicon
6.49
6.49
Chivu
7.32
7.32
Balotelli
6.54
6.54
Muntari
4.13
4.13
Santon
7.09
7.09
Milito
6.69
6.69
Motta
5.73
5.73
Lucio
7.73
7.73
Eto'o
6.48
6.48
Sneijder
6.18
6.18
Average rating 6.68
4 shots on target 3
4 shots off target 8
12 fouls committed 15
1 corners 4
7 offsides 3
23:03 ball possession 44:45
First meeting between Mourinho and Guardiola

The Inter and Barcelona coaches meet in a competitive fixture for the first time.

Inter v Barcelona

The two teams meet in a competitive match for the eighth time after 2 Inter wins, 2 draws (both in Milan) and 3 Barcelona victories. The 2009/10 Champions League Matchday 1 clash is the fifth encounter between Inter and Barcelona in Italy after 1 win apiece and 2 draws. Inter's sole home victory over Barça was a 3-1 win in the 1987 Mundialito.

Details:
1958/60 Fairs Cup Inter-Barcelona 2-4 0-4
1969/70 Fairs Cup Inter-Barcelona 1-1 2-1
1987 Mundialito Inter-Barcelona 3-1 ----
2002/03 Champions League Inter-Barcelona 0-0 0-3

Inter v Spanish clubs

Inter have met Spanish teams in European competitions on 40 previous occasions, winning 14 (including their 1963/64 European Cup final victory over Real Madrid) drawing 11 and losing 15. In home matches, the Nerazzurri have won 9, drawn 9 and lost 2.

Details:
1958/60 Fairs Cup Inter-Barcelona 2-4 0-4
1961/62 Fairs Cup Inter-Valencia 3-3 0-2
1963/64 European Cup Inter-Real Madrid ---- ---- 3-1 (in Vienna)
1965/66 European Cup Inter-Real Madrid 1-1 0-1
1966/67 European Cup Inter-Real Madrid 1-0 2-0
1969/70 Coppa Fiere/Uefa Inter-Barcelona 1-1 2-1
1979/80 UEFA Cup Inter-Real Sociedad 3-0 0-2
1980/81 European Cup Inter-Real Madrid 1-0 0-2
1982/83 Cup Winners' Cup Inter-Real Madrid 1-1 1-2
1984/85 UEFA Cup Inter-Real Madrid 2-0 0-3
1985/86 UEFA Cup Inter-Real Madrid 3-1 1-5
(aet) 1987 Mundialito Inter-Barcelona 3-1 ----
1987/88 UEFA Cup Inter-Espanol 1-1 0-1
1998/99 Champions League Inter-Real Madrid 3-1 0-2
2000/01 UEFA Cup Inter-Alaves 0-2 3-3
2001/02 UEFA Cup Inter-Valencia 1-1 1-0
2002/03 Champions League Inter-Barcelona 0-0 0-3
2002/03 Champions League Inter-Valencia 1-0 1-2
2004/05 Champions League Inter-Valencia 0-0 5-1
2005/06 Champions League Inter-Villarreal 2-1 0-1
2006/07 Champions League Inter-Valencia 2-2 0-0

Barcelona v Italian teams

Barcelona have faced Italian opposition on 41 previous occasions in European competitions. They have won 18 games, drawing 10 and losing 13. This statistic includes their Cup Winners' Cup and European Cup final victories over Sampdoria in 1988/89 and 1991/92, and their 4-0 European Cup final defeat to AC Milan in 1993/94. In 21 trips to Italy, Barcelona have won 7 games, drawn 6 and lost 7.

Details:
1958/60 UEFA Cup Barcelona-Inter 4-0 4-2
1959/60 European Cup Barcelona-AC Milan 5-1 2-0
1964/65 UEFA Cup Barcelona-Fiorentina 0-1 2-0
1969/70 UEFA Cup Barcelona-Inter 1-2 1-1
1970/71 UEFA Cup Barcelona-Juventus 1-2 1-2
1975/76 UEFA Cup Barcelona-Lazio 4-0 3-0
1985/86 European Cup Barcelona-Juventus 1-0 1-1
1987 Mundialito Barcelona-Inter ---- 1-3
1987 Mundialito Barcelona-AC Milan ---- 0-1
1988/89 Cup Winners' Cup Barcelona-Sampdoria 2-0 (in Bern)
1988/89 European Super Cup Barcelona-AC Milan 1-1 0-1
1990/91 Cup Winners' Cup Barcelona-Juventus 3-1 0-1
1991/92 European Cup Barcelona-Sampdoria 1-0 (in London)
1993/94 Champions League Barcelona-AC Milan 0-4 (in Vienna)
1996/97 Cup Winners' Cup Barcelona-Fiorentina 1-1 2-0
1999/00 Champions League Barcelona-Fiorentina 4-2 3-3
2000/01 Champions League Barcelona-AC Milan 0-2 3-3
2001/02 Champions League Barcelona-Roma 1-1 0-3
2002/03 Champions League Barcelona-Inter 3-0 0-0
2002/03 Champions League Barcelona-Juventus 1-2 1-1
2004/05 Champions League Barcelona-AC Milan 2-1 0-1
2005/06 Champions League Barcelona-Udinese 4-1 2-0
2005/06 Champions League Barcelona-AC Milan 0-0 1-0

Only one Inter defeat in last 33 games

The Nerazzurri have lost just one of their last 33 home games (a 1-0 defeat to Panathinaikos on 26 November 2008), winning 21 and drawing 11 of the other 32.

Nerazzurri goalless in one of last 16 matches...

Inter have failed to score in only one of their last 16 competitive games (a 1-0 home defeat to Napoli on 26 April 2009), scoring a total of 30 goals in the other 15.

…and in only one of last 19 home games

Inter have failed to hit the target at home in one of their last 19 games (a 0-0 Champions League draw with Manchester United last 24 February), scoring a total of 39 goals in the other 18.

Barcelona: one Euro KO in last 14

Barcelona's 2-3 home loss to Shakhtar Donetsk on 9 December 2008 is their only defeat in 14 European matches. In the other 13, including the 2008/09 UCL final and the 2009 European Super Cup, the Blaugrana have notched 8 wins and 5 draws.

Barcelona's 291-minute invincibility in Europe

Barcelona last conceded a goal in European competitions in their 1-1 semi-final draw at home to Chelsea on 6 May 2009. Essien scored in the 7th minute on that occasion. The Blaugrana have since kept a clean sheet for 291 competitive minutes - the remaining 81 minutes of that semi-final clash plus the 2-0 win over Manchester United in the final and the 1-0 European Super Cup victory against Shakhtar Donestk (after extra time).

No Italian goal against Barça for 336 minutes

Barcelona have gone 336 competitive minutes without conceding a goal against an Italian club. The last player to score against the Catalans was Felipe in the 24th minute of Udinese's 4-1 defeat at the Camp Nou on 27 September 2005.

DA IMPLEMENTARE
wins(2) draws(3) defeats(1)

MILAN -  Inter played out a goalless draw reigning European champions Barcelona in their opening match of the 2009/10 Champions League.

The Nerazzurri produced a solid display at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, keeping the Catalans at bay with some staunch defending and hitting them on the break with some lightning fast counter-attacks.

Mourinho, who announced ten of his eleven starters in the pre-match press conference, gave Sulley Muntari the nod ahead of Dejan Stankovic and the Ghanaian posed a threat down the left wing before he made way for the Serbian early in the second half.

The early chances of the Group F opener were Barça's. Messi had a close-range header saved by Julio Cesar, who kept out a Xavi effort after Daniel Alves and Ibrahimovic wasted good opportunities for the visitors.

Inter stepped up the tempo on the half hour and Milito saw his crisp shot blocked Valdes, before Sneijder rifled a long-range effort over the bar after elegantly turning Keita.

The Dutchman went closer as Inter fired a warning to the Blaugrana straight after the restart. Eto'o controlled sublimely and played into the path of Sneijder, who sent his low shot inches wide of Valdes' left-hand post. Thiago Motta followed up with a long-range effort that was comfortably saved by the Barça keeper.

Guardiola's side settled back into their rhythm and produced a spell of intense pressure which was soaked up by Inter's watertight defence, with the central pairing of Lucio and Samuel making precise interventions to deny Messi and co.

As in the first half, Inter waited for the chance to counter-attack the Spaniards and Milito expertly held off challenges from Abidal and Puyol before pulling back for second-half substitute Stankovic to drive narrowly over the bar.

An uncharacteristic miss in front of goal by Messi almost went punished by Eto'o, whose precise low free kick in the closing minutes forced a difficult save from Valdes.

Dynamo Kiev beat our Matchday 2 opponents Rubin Kazan 3-1 in tonight's other Group F match.

Inter 0-0 Barcelona

Inter: 12 Julio Cesar; 13 Maicon, 6 Lucio, 25 Samuel, 26 Chivu; 11 Muntari (5 Stankovic 62), 4 Zanetti, 8 Thiago Motta; 10 Sneijder (39 Santon 80); 9 Eto'o, 22 Milito (45 Balotelli 85).
Subs not used: 1 Toldo, 2 Cordoba, 14 Vieira, 19 Cambiasso, .
Coach: José Mourinho.

Barcelona: 1 Valdes; 2 Daniel Alves, 5 Puyol, 3 Piqué, 22 Abidal; 6 Xavi Hernandez, 24 Touré, 15 Keita; 10 Messi, 9 Ibrahimovic, 14 Henry (8 Iniesta 77).
Subs not used: 13 Pinto, 4 Marquez, 16 Busquets, 17 Pedro Rodriguez, 19 Maxwell, 35 Jeffren.
Coach: Josep Guardiola.

Referee: Wolfgang Stark (Germany).

Booked: Henry 54, Touré 83, Chivu 90.

Att.: 77,321.

starting lineups

Julio Cesar 12 Valdes
Maicon 13 Daniel Alves
Lucio 6 Puyol
Samuel 25 Piqué
Chivu 26 Abidal
Muntari 11 Xavi Hernandez
Zanetti 4 Touré
Motta 8 Keita
Sneijder 10 Messi
Eto'o 9 Ibrahimovic
Milito 22 Henry

substitutes

Toldo 1 Pinto
Cordoba 2 Marquez
Stankovic 5 Iniesta
Vieira 14 Busquets
Cambiasso 19 Pedro Rodriguez
Santon 39 Maxwell
Balotelli 45 Jeffren