Champions League round-up: Ibrahimovic outshines Eto'o but Inter hold on

After all the anticipation, something of a damp squib. Internazionale against Barcelona last night, featuring Samuel Eto'o and Zlatan Ibrahomovic facing their former clubs, ended 0-0 and those hoping for fireworks will have to wait until Tuesday 24 November, when the sides are scheduled to meet at the Nou Camp.

The Swede was much more involved than his Cameroon counterpart as the Catalans spent large parts of the game going forward but neither player, or anyone else for that matter, was able to find the breakthrough as defences came out on top.

Barca were quickest out of the blocks and bossed most of the first half while it was a similar story after the break as Jose Mourinho's Inter struggled to create many clear opportunities of their own.

Lionel Messi set the tone for the opening period after just 65 seconds when he skipped inside two defenders before driving in a low shot from the edge of the box that Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar needed to push away.

Seven minutes later Ibrahimovic had a decent chance to score against his former employers when he got in behind the Inter defence, but although his chest control was good, his subsequent shot was poor.

Diego Milito, whose brother Gabriel is on Barca's books, went close for the hosts just before the half-hour mark when he turned inside his marker and drilled in a low shot, but goalkeeper Victor Valdes was equal to it.

The first half ended the same way it started, with Messi bringing a save out of Cesar from 20 yards.

Both sides looked threatening immediately after the break, with Sneijder shooting just wide before the stretching Ibrahimovic saw his volley land on the roof of the net.

Inter will have breathed a huge sigh of relief as Messi put the ball over the bar from six yards out after latching onto Thierry Henry's driven cross-shot.

Barca then had a loud penalty appeal turned down, believing Stankovic had handled in the area, but those claims fell on deaf ears and they were forced to settle for a draw.