It was Zieliński's debut in the Champions League for Inter, his first start for the team, and it was against none other than Manchester City, in a rematch of last year's final. Despite the pressure, Piotr Zieliński played with lightness and freedom, as if he were playing one of the countless backyard games with his brother and father. In the 33rd minute, he received the ball near his penalty area, in what seemed like an awkward position. Rico Lewis and Savinho were right beside him, with Bernardo Silva slightly further away. Yet, Zieliński tricked all three players with just a body feint. The British commentator, impressed by his effortless move, exclaimed, "Beautiful!" And as Lewis, Savinho, and Silva were left behind, Zieliński surged past a fourth opponent—Rodri, one of the favorites for the Ballon d'Or. He carried the ball to the halfway line, scanning for a teammate to pass to. Inter had a four-on-three advantage by then, forcing City defender Ruben Dias to commit a foul, earning him a yellow card.
It's no surprise that Italian fans quickly clipped the play and shared it on social media, praising Zieliński's grace and poise. Many concluded that Zieliński has far greater potential than Henrikh Mkhitaryan, whom he replaced in the starting lineup. They viewed his performance as a demonstration of talent and a promise to form a stellar midfield trio with Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu. Even though not everything in his game against Manchester City was as flawless as that play, with a few mistakes, the overall impression was very positive. For example, after losing the ball in the first half, Pep Guardiola's team launched one of their most dangerous counterattacks. Zieliński also had a wildly off-target shot that went out of bounds. But these errors didn’t spoil the overall good impression.
Piotr Zieliński’s Debut in the Starting Lineup: The Most Distance Covered by Any Inter Player Before Half-Time
This was the first significant opportunity for Zieliński after joining his new club. His start was challenging - not only did he have to integrate into a well-oiled machine where every player knows exactly what to do after years of playing together, but he also had a minor thigh injury. He wasn’t in the squad for the season opener, and he watched the second and third league games from the bench. His first minutes this season came during the international break with the Polish national team. After returning to Italy, he found himself on the bench again but came on in the second half of the match against Monza (1-1). During his 35 minutes on the pitch, he didn’t particularly shine.
That’s why Piotr Czachowski, an expert and commentator on Italian football, predicted on TVP Sport before the Manchester City match that this would be the most challenging period of Zieliński’s career. "Since he took on such a challenge, he must face it. He’s stepping into even bigger shoes than he wore at Napoli. He needs to reach an even higher level," Czachowski said.
In the match against City, Zieliński indeed reached a high level, although there were moments when a lack of chemistry with his teammates was evident. Zieliński was involved in building up plays from their early stages - helping his team escape from City's high press and driving counterattacks. But, most importantly, he worked diligently for the team, covering the most distance among all Inter players before half-time. He was usually well-positioned and reacted responsibly to losing the ball - quickly reorganizing defensively, which was key to stopping such a dangerous opponent. Manchester City, after all, had most of the possession (60%) and attacked primarily through positional play, while Inter mainly defended deep and relied on quick counterattacks.
Such a scenario was expected. Guardiola’s team started the season with four consecutive victories - against Chelsea, Ipswich, West Ham United, and Brentford—scoring 11 goals in the process. Erling Haaland alone has scored nine. None of their opponents had come close to stopping the Norwegian, who has been scoring at will. Yet Simone Inzaghi, Inter's coach, highly praised by Guardiola in the pre-match conference, devised a relatively successful plan. "Relatively" because City didn’t score, but Inter had some luck, especially in the second half when their defense was more stretched. Substitutes Phil Foden and Ilkay Gundogan created dangerous opportunities.
The Italians Appreciate Zieliński’s Performance: "He Showed What He’s Capable Of"
Zieliński was subbed off in the 66th minute. "I have very positive feelings," he said after the match to Inter's official website. "We played on equal terms with one of the strongest teams in the world. We had plenty of chances to win this game, so I’m very pleased. I’m happy because I’ve found a special team and club. Playing for Inter is a pleasure, and I will always try to improve and make an impact in every game," he added. Italian media also recognized his performance.
"Virgilio Sport" gave him one of the highest ratings on the team—6.5, the same as Hakan Calhanoglu. "He started poorly, losing the ball in a dangerous situation, but later he stood out on the field and showed what he’s capable of," the review stated.
"Tuttomercatoweb" also gave him a 6.5 rating. "He underwent a trial by fire, even though he has plenty of experience. A few inaccuracies, but his run restored the sense that he’ll be an excellent cog in Inzaghi’s machine."
Italian Eurosport agreed with the assessment. "A good game. At times, he was searching for the right position, but he was noticeable in defense. He earned the yellow card for Dias, and from that point on, he started demanding the ball more often. He’s developing."
As Zieliński continues to settle into his new coach’s system, the praise should only grow. He made a strong first impression.
