Good evening! Thank you very much for joining
Sports Mole for tonight's match as
Inter Milan and
Paris Saint-Germain both get their International Champions Cup campaigns underway in Oregon. The two sides are among the biggest names in European football, but have suffered contrasting fortunes in recent times and have also experienced interesting summers this year, which should make this a very intriguing contest. Before we get into that, though, let's take a look at the two teams...
INTER MILAN STARTING XI: Handanovic; D'Ambrosio, Miranda, Ranocchia, Erkin; Biabiany, Melo, Kondogbia, Nagatomo; Palacio, Jovetic
Subs: Carrizo, Berni, Di Gregorio, Santon, Miangue, Della Giovanna, Bessa, Zonta, Bakayoko, Pinamonti
PSG STARTING XI: Areola; Aurier, Thiago Silva, Kimpembe, Maxwell; Stambouli, Lucas, Ikone, Ben Arfa, Rabiot, Callegari
Subs: Trapp, Cavani, Pastore, Di Maria, Meunier, Kurzawa, Edouard, Nkunku, Georgen
What can we make of those two teams, then? Well, from Inter's point of view, the headline news is the absence of captain Icardi, who has been heavily linked with a move away from the club this summer. He is reportedly up for sale due to Inter's financial position, and while he has featured in the previous pre-season games, there is no place in the squad for him tonight. Jovetic, who scored the winner against Real Salt Lake last time out, replaces him up front.
That is one of just two changes made to the side that beat Real Salt Lake as
Roberto Mancini names a fairly strong starting XI. The other sees Nagatomo come in for Ansaldi, who is also not in the squad today. Interestingly there is a place on the bench for Santon, who look set to leave the club for Napoli until that move fell through. He is right back in the matchday squad, though, which hints that he could yet have a future at the club.
As for PSG, they have left the majority of their big hitters on the bench for tonight's match. The likes of Cavani, Pastore and Di Maria are amongst the substitutes, so there is plenty of firepower there for new boss
Unai Emery to use should he need a goal in the second half. All of them are likely to be given minutes tonight, but from the start it is mainly a second-strong side named by the French champions.
They do still possess plenty of quality, though, with Thiago Silva, Maxwell and Lucas all involved. Lucas and Rabiot, who also starts tonight, were on the scoresheet against West Brom in their only previous pre-season friendly this summer, while new boy Hatem Ben Arfa, who enjoyed a magnificent season with Nice last term, will only serve to improve their attacking threat. Even without Zlatan, there should be goals in that PSG team.
PSG do, of course, have a lot of money that they can splash to improve their squad, but the cash hasn't been flowing too freely with Inter Milan this summer. The club was recently taken over by Chinese investors, but there hasn't been a flurry of arrivals since, with Ever Banega so far the only player to arrive. They have been linked with a move for Mario Balotelli from Liverpool too, but most of the speculation this summer has focused on departures, notably the potential one of captain and star striker Icardi.
It would be a huge blow for Inter if Icardi left the club this summer as he has been their standout performer for some time now. The Nerazzurri are by no means the force they once were in Italian and European football, but last season showed a few glimpses of improvement. They still missed out on a Champions League spot, finishing 13 points behind third-placed Roma and a full 24 off champions Juventus, but their fourth-placed finish was their best since the 2010-11 campaign, when they were second.
Inter haven't won Serie A since the Jose Mourinho era of 2010, when they won an historic treble, and it is now six years in a row that they would have been out of the Champions League too. They have finished sixth, ninth, fifth and eighth in the last four seasons before the 2015-16 campaign, so that fourth-placed showing is at least a step in the right direction for them. The big question now is whether they can continue their progress during the upcoming season and get themselves back to where they belong.
Their pre-season so far hasn't exactly set the world alight, with a win a draw and a loss from their three matches. They have a busy schedule, with games against Tottenham, Estudiantes and Borussia Monchengladbach to come between International Champions Cup games against Bayern Munich and Celtic. Their Serie A campaign gets underway on August 21, when they are away to Chievo.
While Inter have been in the role of fallen giants in recent years, the exact opposite is true for PSG. They have utterly dominated French football over the past four seasons, and that peaked last term when they won the title in record-breaking fashion. They clinched the crown quicker than any side has ever done it in French football before and eventually finished 29 points clear of Lyon having lost just twice all season.
Their dominance in every area could not be questioned, finishing the season on 96 points and having scored 102 goals while conceding just 19 - both tallies being the best in the league by a long way. They carried that dominance into the cup competitions too, wrapping up a domestic treble with success in the Coupe de la Ligue and the Coupe de France. The holy grail remains Europe, though, and despite winning all there was to win on the domestic scene, Laurent Blanc failed to make significant progress in the Champions League, which no doubt contributed to his decision to step down.
In his place comes Unai Emery and, while they are big shoes to fill, the former Sevilla boss certainly looks capable of doing that. Domestic success is expected at PSG now, but Emery has been brought in for his pedigree in Europe having steered Sevilla to an unprecedented three consecutive Europa League titles. It has been a rather tumultuous summer for the club, though, and the loss of club legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic will not be an easy obstacle to overcome. The Swede scored 156 goals in four years at the Parc des Princes and may well have established himself as the club's greatest ever player despite his relatively short time there.
Full-backs Gregory van der Wiel and Lucas Digne have also left the club, while Krychowiak, Meunier and Ben Arfa have arrived, so there have been plenty of changes for Emery to oversee. He will hope to have his squad in order by the time he begins PSG's title defence away to Bastia on August 12, before when they will take on Real Madrid and Leicester City in the International Champions Cup, in addition to a French Super Cup clash with Lyon.
PREDICTION: Right, we're minutes away from kickoff now, so it's time I made a prediction! PSG have won the only two previous meetings between these two sides 1-0, both in mid-season friendlies in the last two years, and I can see the French champions winning by a single goal again tonight. However, I think Inter will take the lead, only to succumb to a comeback when PSG's big hitters come on in the second half. I'll go for 2-1!
Before we begin this match, allow me to remind you of the rules of the International Champions Cup. If the 90 minutes finishes level then we will go straight to penalties, with the usual three points being awarded for a victory in normal time but only two for a win on penalties. The losing team will get one point if they are defeated in a shootout, but none if they lose in normal time.
These International Champions Cup matches always seem to be a little tardy, and sure enough the players are only just emerging out onto the field now. We should be underway in a few minutes!
KICKOFF: Here we go then! PSG finally get us underway in Oregon!
The Autzen Stadium is bathed in sunlight here, and it is Inter who have made the brighter start to the match. They win an early corner, but the delivery is dealt with by the defence.
PSG were not able to completely clear their lines, though, and Jovetic earns his side a free kick in a very good position here...
Jovetic himself goes for goal, but he fires his effort straight into the wall and the rebound suffers exactly the same fate before PSG get it clear.
Ikone twists and turns down the left channel and almost works himself space to cross the ball, but his delivery is blocked the resulting corner is claimed by Handanovic.
CHANCE! Half a chance for PSG as the ball is lifted into the box, finding Thiago Silva unmarked. The captain goes for a first-time volley, but fires it over the crossbar.
Inter almost get in behind as a long ball over the top catches the PSG defence out. Jovetic gets away from Thiago Silva, but he can't bring the ball down as it drops over his shoulder and in the end it runs all the way through to the keeper.
Ben Arfa's weaving run earns PSG a free kick, which again is lifted to the back post. The French champions just about manage to keep it in, and that forces Handanovic to turn it behind for a corner.
The corner is player short and comes to nothing, but PSG keep the ball and come forward again down the right flank moments later, only for Aurier to overhit his cross into the box.
GOAL! Inter Milan 0-1 PSG (Serge Aurier)
PSG break the deadlock in Oregon, and it is Aurier, who looked certain to leave the club having been suspended over comments about Laurent Blanc last season, who gets it. It is dreadful goalkeeping from Handanovic and he parries a Ben Arfa free kick right back out towards the incoming attackers, and Aurier is there to sweep the rebound home.
PSG had just been beginning to gain an element of control over the game before that goal, and now that they have the lead they are looking for a second. Inter have their backs to the wall a bit at the moment.
Brilliant play from D'Ambrosio as he nutmegs Ikone before storming past another defender and playing the ball out wide right. The resulting cross is blocked, but the referee calls play back for a foul on D'Ambrosio as he released the ball.
It is a free kick in another good position for Inter, but once again it comes to nothing as the cross fails to beat the first man.
There hasn't been a great deal of goalmouth action in this opening 20 minutes or so to be honest. Aside from the goal itself, one half-chance for Thiago Silva is about all we have seen, with Areola thus far untroubled in the PSG goal.
PSG win another corner here as Lucas Moura's cross is turned behind, but they are determined to go short with the deliveries and so far it hasn't worked for them.
Good defending from Kimpembe as he shows good pace to get a vital touch back to the keeper just as Inter were threatening to get in behind.
At the other end Handanovic comes a long way off his line, chesting the ball down and managing to get it to a teammate with a couple of blue shirts bearing down on him. Risky goalkeeping, but it worked out well for him.
YELLOW CARD! Kimpembe becomes the first man in the book tonight for a blatant trip, cynically stopping an Inter attack. He may thought he might get away with it in a pre-season, but there can't be many complaints with a card there.
SAVE! The free kick is a long way out, but that doesn't prevent Jovetic from going for goal. He lashes a powerful strike right down the middle, and Areola rather unconvincingly turns it over the top.
PSG are almost in for a second as Maxwell plays the ball down the left channel for Ikone, who skips away from Miranda with his first touch. Handanovic is alert to the danger, though, and comes off his line to scoop up the ball before Ikone can collect it on the other side.
A corner is only cleared as far as Jovetic just outside the area, and the striker can't resist going for the first-time volley. He gets the shot all wrong, though, blazing it a long way over the crossbar.
There is a brief stoppage in proceedings here as both sides have a drinks break on this hot day in Oregon.
...and we're back underway at the Autzen Stadium.
SHOT! Jovetic does well to work his way into shooting space, but he doesn't catch his effort properly, dragging it a couple of yards wide of the target. Better from Inter, but still no real danger for PSG.
CHANCE! Big chance for Inter to level things up as PSG fail to clear their lines from a corner and the ball drops kindly for Jovetic. He catches his shot well this time, but it hits the head of Thiago Silva and goes over.
CHANCE! A chance for PSG at the other end here, and it is suicidal defending from Ranocchia. The ball is lifted up into the box and for some reason Ranocchia decides to leave it instead of clearing it. That allows Maxwell to get on the end of it, but he lifts his finish over the top.
That really was bizarre defending from Ranocchia. He saw the run and could easily have cleared the ball, but instead decided to leave it. It is the type of mistake that has come to define his time at Inter, and he needs to cut it out of his game.
Jovetic is almost in again after a long diagonal ball forward, but a mixture of Kimpembe and Thiago Silva deal with the danger and get the ball clear.
CHANCE! Good football from PSG as Ben Arfa cuts inside from the left flank before giving the ball to Lucas, who in turn helps it into the path of Aurier. The goalscorer is under pressure but still gets his shot away, blazing it high and wide of the target when he probably should have done better.
There will be three minutes of added time at the end of this first half.
PENALTY TO INTER MILAN!
GOAL! Inter Milan 1-1 PSG (Stevan Jovetic, penalty)
Inter level things up right on the stroke of half time, and it is a brilliant penalty from Jovetic. The spot kick was awarded after a scramble in the area, with another Inter corner causing all sorts of problems. The ball struck the post after taking two ricochets on its way to goal, the first of which came off the arm of Lucas. The referee spots it and awards the penalty, which Jovetic fires right into the top corner.
HALF TIME: Inter Milan 1-1 Paris Saint-Germain
The first half comes to an end at the Autzen Stadium, then, and we're all square in Oregon. PSG had the better of the first half in terms of both general play and chances, but Inter equalised right on the stroke of half time and it is still all to play for in the coming 45 minutes.
The French champions took the lead after just 14 minutes, and it was a poor piece of goalkeeping that led to the opening goal. Hatem Ben Arfa's low free kick should have been routine for Handanovic in the Inter goal, but he parried it straight back out into a dangerous area and
Serge Aurier was there to sweep home the rebound.
The equaliser came from the penalty spot in the third minute of first-half stoppage time as Jovetic picked out the top corner with a fine spot kick. Lucas Moura was the man penalised for a handball, and it was a good decision from the ref as the Brazilian leant into the ball. It stemmed from a scramble in the area and as the ball was turned towards goal it took a couple of deflections before hitting the post.
The best chances of the half, aside from the goals, fell to PSG, although there hasn't been a huge amount of goalmouth action at either end of the field. Maxwell, Aurier and Thiago Silva have all had sights of goal for the champions, while Inter's best moments have all come through Jovetic.
KICKOFF: Inter Milan get us back underway for the second half at the Autzen Stadium.
SHOT! An early shooting chance for PSG in the second half as Rabiot finds himself in space, but he drags his strike comfortably wide.
PSG SUBS: The French champions made a couple of changes at half time, with Kurzawa and Trapp replacing Maxwell and Areola.
CHANCE! Kurzawa almost makes an immediate impact, racing into the box late and almost turning the ball home. Aurier had done well on the opposite flank to beat his man and fire a cross in that Handanovic helped on its way, but Kurzawa was there at the back post to volley it towards goal. He has most of the goal to aim at, but he can't get it on target.
Aurier has been his side's most threatening attacker so far tonight. He doesn't need a second invitation to get forward and he has got himself into some very good positions, either to go for goal himself or set up a teammate.
SAVE! It is Jovetic who has looked most likely for Inter all night, and he goes for goal again here. He drills a piledriver towards goal from 25 yards, but it is straight at Trapp and he pushes it away.
This second half is likely to be disrupted by a number of changes, particularly as Inter didn't make any at half time. ICC rules mean that both sides can make 11 subs, but can only make their changes at three intervals during the game. PSG certainly have some firepower on their bench.
PSG have a really good chance to break, with Lucas Moura and Ben Arfa leading the charge. The defence don't look happy at the idea of being left up against those two, but Ben Arfa wastes a good position by overhitting his pass back to Lucas.
OFF THE BAR! PSG almost regain the lead in unorthodox fashion, and it is Aurier again who is threatening. This time it is a mis-hit cross from the full-back, though, and it flies over the head of Handanovic before clipping the crossbar on its way over.
Ben Arfa puts the after burners on as he drives forward before looking for a one-two. After releasing the ball he is taken out by Ranocchia, though, which earns PSG a free kick in a good position...
GOAL! Inter Milan 1-2 PSG (Layvin Kurzawa)
Another free kick leads to another PSG goal, and once again questions must be asked of Handanovic. It was a good effort from Kurzawa has he curls it over the wall and into the bottom corner, but the Inter keeper is so slow in getting across to it and can't keep it out.
SHOT! Kurzawa has a taste for goal now and he tries another one here despite the angle being against him. He is found in space on the left corner of the box, but his shot flies high and wide.
Good spell of possession from PSG, with Ben Arfa heavily involved. The ball is eventually worked out to Aurier on the right and he lifts a good cross into the middle, but D'Ambrosio does enough to prevent Lucas from getting a clean head on it.
PSG are controlling this match at the moment. They are knocking the ball about comfortably, dictating the tempo of the game and keeping the ball away from Inter. It is too easy for Emery's side right now.
Still no further changes other than the two at half time for PSG, which is something of a surprise in a pre-season game, particularly in this heat. I think we can expect a flurry in the final 20 minutes.
INTER SUBS: Indeed, here are the changes as Bakayoko, Carrizo and Santon come on in place of Nagatomo, Handanovic and Biabiany.
PSG SUBS: PSG respond with a trio of subs themselves as Cavani, Nkunku and summer signing Meunier are introduced.
SHOT! PSG look for a third here as Lucas's cross is only cleared as far as Bakayoko, but he drags his first-time shot wide.
CHANCE! Huge chance for Cavani to wrap this game up once and for all. He is left in all sorts of room inside the box and allowed to cut onto his left, but he curls his finish wide of the target when you were expecting the net to bulge.
Inter Milan want a penalty here as Aurier challenges Kondogbia and gets the ball. The referee is right to wave it away, but Kondogbia looks to be in some pain after that. Concern for Inter here.
INTER SUB: Kondogbia will not be able to continue here as he limps off to be replaced by Loris Zonta.
PSG are just in complete control of this match. Inter haven't offered much in this second half at all and they can have no complaints at trailing here.
Cavani collects the ball just outside the area and spins into shooting space, but Miranda gets a foot on the eventual shot which takes all of the power off it.
PSG SUBS: More changes from PSG, and Angel di Maria gets a big cheer on his way onto the field. Georgen also comes on, with Lucas and Stambouli making way.
Half a chance for Inter as a cross arrives into the box which Ranocchia meets, but he can't get above the ball and his header flies over the top.
INTER SUB: Another change for the Italian outfit sees Pinamonti come on for the closing stages.
GOAL! Inter Milan 1-3 PSG (Serge Aurier)
It is two for Aurier and three for PSG as the French champions surely wrap the win up. It is far too easy for them, with a free kick being lifted into the middle and PSG players queuing up to finish it. Aurier is the one who gets his head to it, though, planting a finish past the keeper to double his personal tally.
Cavani has a chance to add a fourth as he races on to a ball over the top, but he drags his shot well wide of the target. He didn't catch that one at all.
There will be three minutes of added time at the end of this match.
FULL TIME: Inter Milan 1-3 Paris Saint-Germain
It is PSG who pick up the deserved win, then, with man-of-the-match Serge Aurier getting two goals to help them to a 3-1 victory. Jovetic had levelled things up from the penalty spot right on the stroke of half time, but Kurzawa's free kick put PSG back into the lead before Aurier added the third to wrap up the victory.
Right, that is all we have time for tonight! Thank you very much for joining
Sports Mole for this match as PSG get their International Champions Cup campaign off to a winning start with a 3-1 triumph over Inter Milan. I will leave you with our
match report, and be sure to check back in for further live coverage of big pre-season games. From me, though, it is goodbye for now!