Internazionale – Bayern Munich: Bayern’s Aggression Pays Off (0-2)

Bayern Munich were aggressive with and without the ball here, with high pressing and a structural shift in possession that saw them successfully control the game by pinning Inter back. A goal in each half was enough to win this comfortably, with Leroy Sané instrumental in both. 

Tactical analysis and match report by Josh Manley. 

Inter faced a tough start to the Champions League group stage against Bayern Munich and came into the game on the back of a Milan Derby defeat in which they looked defensively fragile. Simone Inzaghi ended up going without Stefan de Vrij for this one and instead started Danilo D'Ambrosio as part of the back three alongside Milan Škriniar and Alessandro Bastoni. Henrikh Mkhitaryan was given a start in central midfield with Marcelo Brozović and Hakan Çalhanoğlu, while Denzel Dumfries and Robin Gosens were the wing-backs in their 3-5-2 system. Up front was the duo of Edin Džeko and Lautaro Martínez. 

Bayern meanwhile started the season in brilliant fashion with their opening day thrashing of Eintracht Frankfurt, although since then have dropped points against the likes of Borussia Mönchengladbach and most recently Union Berlin. Julian Nagelsmann’s side nominally started in a 4-2-3-1 shape, with a back four of Benjamin Pavard, Matthijs de Ligt, Lucas Hernandez and Alphonso Davies. In midfield was the duo Marcel Sabitzer and Joshua Kimmich behind . . .