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Five Champions League takeaways

By Ernesto Hernandez

NAPLES, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 17: Fernando Llorente, Dries Mertens and Eljif Elmas of SSC Napoli celebrate the victory after the UEFA Champions League group E match between SSC Napoli and Liverpool FC at Stadio San Paolo on September 17, 2019 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
NAPLES, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 17: Fernando Llorente, Dries Mertens and Eljif Elmas of SSC Napoli celebrate the victory after the UEFA Champions League group E match between SSC Napoli and Liverpool FC at Stadio San Paolo on September 17, 2019 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images) /
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MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 17: Romelu Lukaku of FC Internazionale talks to Laturaro Martinez of FC Internazionale during the UEFA Champions League group F match between FC Internazionale and Slavia Praha at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on September 17, 2019 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 17: Romelu Lukaku of FC Internazionale talks to Laturaro Martinez of FC Internazionale during the UEFA Champions League group F match between FC Internazionale and Slavia Praha at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on September 17, 2019 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images) /

2. Inter Milan’s struggles in Europe continue

Despite having a new manager in Antonio Conte, Inter Milan were unable to get past Slavia Prague at home as they drew 1-1 with Inter’s equalizer coming late in the second-half.

Struggling against weaker opposition has become a staple for an Inter side that continue to make significant investment but results, at least in Europe, continue to be poor.

While they sit atop Serie A, for Antonio Conte, the blemish on a steller managerial resume is the Champions League. In all his time with Juventus, he never won it with and they were knocked out in the group stage in his last season in charge.

Inter failed to advance past the group stage last season as well after needing a win against PSV Eindhoven and for Spurs to lose to Barcelona. Both Spurs and Inter drew with the former advancing.

For a club with such a rich history, that simply isn’t good enough.

Another season of heavy investment was made and the club have acquiesced to mostly all of Conte’s demands including bringing in Romelu Lukaku and shipping Mauro Icardi off to PSG.

This is not the start they wanted but perhaps one we should have expected. Slavia Prague was supposed to be the minnow of the group. Now Inter have put themselves behind the eight-ball straight away in a group that also boasts Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona.

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