Inter Milan 0 - Barcelona 0

Inter Milan: Toldo; Javier Zanetti, Gamarra, Cannavaro, Pasquale; Guly (Sergio Conceiçao 78'), Cristiano Zanetti, Morfeo, Dalmat (Martins 60'); Kallon (Di Biagio 33'), Vieri. 4-4-2.
Barcelona: Bonano; Gabri, Puyol (Andersson 78'), Frank De Boer, Reiziger; Xavi, Cocu (Mendieta 58'); Rochemback (Riquelme 67'), Saviola, Motta; Kluivert. 4-2-3-1.

Goals: None.

Group A:
Barcelona....................... 10 points
Inter Milan.......................... 7 points
Newcastle......................... 6 points
Bayer Leverkusen......... 0 points

Barcelona failed to extend their record of eleven wins in a row in the competition, but they did get the point they needed at Inter Milan to virtually ensure their presence in the quarter finals. Radomir Antic's side kept their fourth clean sheet in a row, holding the Italians at bay and limiting them to a couple of isolated shots at goal with a workmanlike performance. The new manager put out virtually the same side who beat the Italian league leaders in the first leg, with Motta coming back in for Mendieta on the left after acting as substitute in the league at the weekend, and Rochemback replacing the injured Overmars. Luis Enrique was down with flu though, and didn't travel with the team. Córdoba and Recoba were suspended for Inter, and manager Héctor Cúper also left Di Biagio on the bench to bring in an extra striker Kallon.

Inter got the ball in the net in the second minute, but Vieri's strike was ruled out for offside. Kluivert replied for the visitors, and Kallon fired a shot just over the bar at the other end as the game got off to a lively start. Referee Urs Meier turned down the home side's appeals for a penalty when Gabri tripped Morfeo later in the half as he had already awarded a free kick seconds earlier, and Gabri himself shot well wide after Saviola set him up. Vieri missed the best chance of the match though immediately after the restart when he headed wide with only the keeper to beat.

Although the game was not a dirty affair, the first aid men were having an unusual amount of work, and the stretcher was constantly on and off the pitch. Kluivert recovered from his early knock, but Kallon had to be replaced by Di Biagio on the half hour mark and Dalmat limped off after the interval. Antic had to bring on Mendieta for Cocu after he picked up a serious knee injury, and with twelve minutes to go a horrendous clash of heads with Frank De Boer left Puyol with a double fracture of the cheekbone. His replacement was Patrik Andersson, making his first appearance in nearly a year after a series of injuries had left him on the sidelines this season.

As the game wore on the Barcelona players settled for a draw, moving the ball around between themselves to kill time. Even so Kluivert could have hit the winner if he had not hit a weak shot at Toldo after he got away from Gamarra, and Gabri shot just wide when put through on right of goal. The point though should see the Catalans through, and only the unlikely event of a draw between Inter and Newcastle together with two defeats for Barça could complicate matters, an unlikely event as things are at the moment. Maybe though it is not in their interest to win the group as they will be seeded to play a second placed side, which currently could include any one, if not all, of the other three Spanish sides. They would surely prefer to leave Real Madrid for the final at Old Trafford.