Inter-Shakhtar Donetsk, CM’s player ratings: Bastoni a horror show as in Zenica, finally Josep Martinez! Carlos Augusto everywhere

Inter grind out a win with 10 men against Shakhtar Donetsk's 11 to claim their first 3 points of the 2026/2027 Champions League league phase. The performances of

Inter player ratings

Josep Martínez 7.5: He handles everything that comes his way and produces three saves worthy of the highlights. At the end of the first half, he keeps the scores level by denying Bondar's header. Then, late on, he makes miraculous saves from Newerton and Matvienko.

Akanji 5.5: The giant of last season feels like a distant memory. Opponents repeatedly beat him for pace, while he misplaces simple passes and clearances from the back that should be routine for a player of his calibre.

Bastoni 4.5: Back in a role that inevitably recalls Zenica and Italy's disaster, he suffers the same outcome. He plays the role well, but two yellow cards in two minutes hand Shakhtar an incredible gift.

Carlos Augusto 8: He can play as a wide centre-back, but with Dimarco in this condition, he is wasted there. Once the Italian goes off, Carlos Augusto pushes forward and covers the whole flank as a full-back, defending well and attacking even better. His goal, another in his start to the season, is a breath of fresh air.

Spence 5: Timid and worried, he never gets into the game and always goes backwards when he has the ball. His first start is a failure.

(59' Diouf 6: His introduction at least gives the team a lift at a difficult moment. Bastoni's sending-off stops him in his tracks, though, and leaves him running backwards)

Barella 6: He misplaces plenty of passes, but his running and determination eventually help Inter cope with their numerical disadvantage when they need it most.

Calhanoglu 5: Visibly annoyed with Chivu when substituted, he can have few complaints. After a shot that goes narrowly wide early in the first half, he is often late to press and provide defensive cover. The Romanian manager reads it right.

(59' Zielinski 6: Basic, but less muddled than Calhanoglu when directing play).

Sucic 5.5: He runs a great deal, often to no effect, and mistimes his pressing. At the most tense moment after the sending-off, he picks up an entirely avoidable yellow card that forces Chivu to substitute him

(from 73' Luis Henrique 6: An attacking wide player by trade, he finishes the match as a full-back in a back four. Inexperience shows in a few shaky moments, but could this be his future?)

Dimarco 5.5: Not yet at his best, he fades after the 20th minute. Basic errors creep into his crosses and passes, as well as his set pieces, usually a speciality

(59' Bisseck 6.5: Inter need energy, and he brings plenty. He battles and uses his physicality right up to the 93rd minute)

Bonny 6: He and Thuram get in each other's way a little, but he still poses a threat on the few occasions when a playable ball reaches him.

(75' Mkhitaryan 6.5: Inter need experience, calm and composure to see out a match made difficult by Bastoni's red card, and on comes the professor. He delivers a delightful assist for Carlos Augusto, then slows the tempo and takes charge with perfect control of the ball at his feet. A shame he misses the chance from Thuram's assist)

Thuram 7: He starts well, then slows as all of Inter struggle to move the ball from defence to attack. Sensing that Bastoni's red card could affect the team mentally, he steps up and drags the Shakhtar defence along behind him. His assist for Mkhitaryan deserved a better finish.

Manager Chivu 6: His initial choices fail to convince, and his Inter are far from the side he wants or the one he was asked to produce after Bruges. To his credit, he reads the match well and secures the three points with his substitutions.

Shakhtar Donetsk player ratings

Riznyk 6.5: Superb reactions to efforts from both Thuram and Bonny. He has no chance one-on-one against Carlos Augusto.

Vinícius Tobias 6.5: Starting deep, he draws pressure from Sucic before moving infield into space and forcing him into long runs back.

Bondar 5.5: Inter rarely get through on his side. Consistently accurate and alert in the air, he also poses his side's biggest threat with a header in the 40th minute that forces Martinez into an outstanding save.

Matviyenko 6: Inter's only dangerous chances come down his side, where Bonny and Thuram find room to get going. He gets to grips with them as the minutes pass and nearly scores the equaliser late on.

Pedro Henrique 5.5: Rarely ventures forward, concentrating instead on containing first Spence and then Diouf. Neither poses much danger.

Ocheretko 5.5: Two early giveaways in costly positions force Riznyk to save the scoreline on both occasions. Far too imprecise, he also squanders a good chance from a corner. He earns the "distinction" of provoking Bastoni into shoving him and getting sent off.

Alisson Santana 6.5: His side's biggest threat. A Neymar-style flick over Dimarco's head raises the temperature and causes Inter to lose their heads a little, with Bastoni following shortly afterwards.

Pedrinho 6: His side's most dangerous player while he is on the pitch. Starting on the right, he often cuts inside, threatening once with a deflected shot and again with a through ball that a team-mate fails to control in the box in front of Josep Martinez.

(from the 32nd minute, Nazaryna 5.5: Rarely seen, he cannot match the level of the team-mate he replaces)

Marlon Gomes 6: Fouls opponents, provokes them, seeks confrontation and then often goes down. The German referee lets him get away with it, but he offers his team little else.

Mendoza 6: An arm problem nearly forces him off midway through the first half, but he stays on and delivers a solid performance in attack and defence.

Kauã Elias 5: Despite being one of the most talked-about players before the match, he remains the least involved throughout and never troubles Inter's defence.

Manager: Arda Turan 6: His Shakhtar side go toe to toe with Inter for a long time and cause them serious problems. He loses one of his best players early and ultimately comes away with nothing, an undeserved outcome on the balance of play.