Inter have steadied themselves after a turbulent start to their European campaign, beating Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 at San Siro to claim their first Champions League points of the season. The victory was hard-earned. Alessandro Bastoni was sent off in the 69th minute, leaving Cristian Chivu's side to defend with ten men, but Carlos Augusto settled the match with a decisive goal that underlined his growing importance to this squad. Goalkeeper Josep Martinez, one of the most criticised figures in Inter's difficult opening weeks, delivered a performance that drew widespread praise and helped protect the result.

The win matters beyond the three points. Inter had lost both of their opening Champions League fixtures, against Real Madrid and Club Brugge, and the pressure on the squad to respond was real. A resilient victory, achieved despite the red card, signals a shift in momentum at a critical moment in the group phase.

The squad picture, though, remains complicated. Lautaro Martinez, Curtis Jones, and John Stones remain sidelined, and Luis Henrique has now joined the injury list, ruling him out of Sunday's Serie A fixture against Fiorentina. Chivu is expected to rotate his squad for that match, with Ivan Provedel potentially starting in goal ahead of Martinez. Inter currently lead Serie A on 19 points from seven games, level with Lazio, and will want to protect that position at home before attention turns to Feyenoord in the Champions League on 3 November.