Manchester city vs Inter Milan Preview
As Manchester City vs Inter Milan preview is online, they are about to clash on the interesting meeting in the champion league premises at Etihad stadium on Saturday’s night.
These two clubs have their clash for the first time in competitive actions at the Ataturk Olympic stadium on the back of differing domestic fortunes, as Guardiola added two English football trophies to his cabinet, while the Nerazzurri’s title charge in Serie A was fleeting at its best. On the FA cup finals, Manchester city had a victory against the manchester united with 2-1.
The Premier League champions obliterated holders Real Madrid 5-1 over two legs in the semi-finals to punch their ticket to the showpiece event, while Inter earned the local bragging rights with a 3-0 aggregate triumph over fellow San Siro tenants AC Milan.
On adding Premier league trophy and FA cup crown to their CV in 2022-23, Guardiola is about to add champions league trophy to its trophy case. But the coveted Continental honour has consistently eluded him since he left the comfort of Camp Nou behind.
Pep Guardiola had never taken Man City beyond the quarter-finals of Europe’s premier competition, and as fans slowly filtered back into the stadiums in the wake of untold COVID-19-related disruption, the perennial Premier League winners have come close, but no cigar.
Leaving the Estadio do Dragao with their tails tucked between their legs in 2021 thanks to Kai Havertz’s solitary strike for Chelsea, Man City fell victim to the Real Madrid juggernaut in the 2021-22 semi-finals, but revenge was a dish best served with a side of four unanswered goals during their reunion at the same stage this time around.
Following two moments of individual brilliance from Vinicius Junior and Kevin De Bruyne in a circumspect first leg, many were careful not to write Carlo Ancelotti’s charges off completely ahead of their reunion in Manchester,. After all, Los Blancos have proven the doubters wrong time and time again when European silverware is the prize.
Team News and Injury
The Man City medical team have largely been allowed to put their feet up ahead of Saturday’s final, although a minor concern for Kyle Walker was recently reported by Guardiola, who confessed that the right-back had been experiencing trouble with his back.
However, Walker himself has since alleviated concerns regarding his fitness, and the England international should form part of a fully-fit contingent for the Citizens, whose starting XI surely picks itself in Istanbul.
The same 10 outfield players that began the second-leg demolition of Real Madrid lined up to shake Prince William’s hand for the FA Cup final, and the only alteration should therefore come in goal, where Stefan Ortega will reluctantly hand the gloves back over to Ederson.
With no new contract agreed, Saturday’s game could very well be Gundogan’s Man City adieu, and the 32-year-old will don the armband for the Premier League champions 10 years after coming up short in the 2012-13 Champions League final with Borussia Dortmund against Bayern Munich.
As for the Nerazzurri, Inter lost former Manchester United midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan to a thigh injury in the second leg of his side’s semi-final success over AC Milan, but the Armenian playmaker is reportedly winning his battle to be fit for the final.
Indeed, Inzaghi appears to have settled on Martinez and Dzeko as his established strike pairing for crunch matches – meaning that misfiring Chelsea loanee Romelu Lukaku will also aim to provide impetus from the bench before he bids farewell for a second time – while Mkhitaryan may force Marcelo Brozovic out of the XI if he can prove his fitness.
Left-wing back Federico Dimarco was not even in the squad to meet Torino on the final matchday in Serie A due to muscular fatigue, but the Italian is expected to line up from the off here, and his duel with Walker down the flank promises to be a riveting watch indeed.
Head to Head stats
Manchester City and Inter Milan are on an even footing as far as the head-to-head record is concerned and have won one game apiece out of the two matches that have been played between the two teams.
English and Italian teams have met on four previous occasions in the UEFA Champions League – Liverpool have been the only English team to face an Italian team in the showpiece event so far.
Manchester City have appeared in only two European finals in their history and lost their most recent such game against Chelsea by a 1-0 margin in the UEFA Champions League final in 2021.
Inter Milan are featuring in their 11th major final in Europe – Juventus and AC Milan are the only two Italian teams that have a better record in this regard.
Manchester City are looking to become the fourth English team to win the UEFA Champions League and could make England the country with the highest number of different Champions League winners.
Manchester City vs Inter Milan Prediction
Manchester city was arguably one of the best team in football at the moment and have a perfect squad at their disposal. Pep Guardiola has a missing UEFA champions league trophy in 12 years and nows finds a opportunity for the club.
On the other hand Inter Milan was a better team on this moment, and they are going to have a clashing in the champions league meetings. It will be a huge advantage for Manchester city.
