CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Inter Milan held Champions League holders Barcelona to a goalless draw at the San Siro.

Barca ace Lionel Messi set the tone for the opening period after just 65 seconds when he skipped inside two defenders before driving in a low shot from the edge of the box that Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar needed to push away.

Messi had another effort soon after, his header being comfortably saved by Cesar, before Inter had their first sight of goal when Maicon fired over from 20 yards out.

Diego Milito went closer for the hosts just before the half-hour mark when he turned inside his marker and drilled in a low shot, but Barca keeper Victor Valdes was equal to it.

Barca were back in the ascendancy towards the end of the half though, and Seydou Keita missed the best chance of the period four minutes before the break.

Xavi's chip found Dani Alves inside the area, and he drew out Cesar before laying the ball back to Keita with most of the goal to aim for. However, the Mali international fired wide of the far post to let Inter off the hook.

Both sides looked threatening immediately after the break, with Sneijder shooting just wide before the stretching Ibrahimovic saw his volley land on the roof of the net following a brilliant pass by Xavi.

As in the first half, Barca were making most of the running, although they survived a brief scare in the 65th minute when Dejan Stankovic fired just over from outside the box.
The next good chance fell to Messi, and Inter will have breathed a huge sigh of relief as the Argentinian superstar put the ball over the bar from six yards out after latching onto Thierry Henry's driven cross-shot.

Barca then had a loud penalty appeal turned down, believing Stankovic had handled in the area, but those claims fell on deaf ears and the Catalan giants were forced to settle for a draw.

FC BARCELONA: Messi, Ibrahimovic, Henry, Xavi, Keita, Toure, Puyol, Alves, Pique, Abidal,

Valdez

SUBS: Iniesta 77'.

INTER MILAN : Milito, Eto'o, Sneijder, Muntari, Zanneti, Motta, Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Chivu,

Caesar

SUBS: Stankovic 62', Balotelli 85', Santon 80'.