Manchester City vs Internazionale match preview

It’s time for the 68th UEFA Champions League Final, so will this finally be the night Manchester City are crowned champions of Europe for the very first time?

This is the Sky Blues’ 12th consecutive campaign in Europe’s premier club competition and, having tasted defeat in the final two years ago, they’re determined to end their wait for Champions League glory.

Since mid-February, Pep Guardiola’s team have been simply unstoppable, winning 12 consecutive Premier League games before picking up a third straight title against Chelsea last month.

Meanwhile, in this competition, the Citizens have hammered RB Leipzig 7-0, Bayern Munich 3-0 and Real Madrid 4-0, crushing all challengers who dare to challenge them.

In the semis, los Blancos were emphatically dethroned, steamrollered at the Etihad, with Bernardo Silva bagging a first half brace before Manuel Akanji and Julián Álvarez were also on target later on.

Last Saturday, Guardola’s side completed the domestic double by beating fierce rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup Final at Wembley.

İlkay Gündoğan broke the deadlock with a stunning volley just 13 seconds in, before scoring the second in a 2-1 victory shortly after half time.

So, Man City are now 90 minutes away from matching Man United’s achievement of 1999, by completing the treble.

Standing in their way are Internazionale Milano, seeking a fourth Champions League triumph, having previously won this competition in 1964, 1965 and 2010.

To get to their first final for 13 years, I Nerazzurri had to eliminate Barcelona in the group stages, before knockout phase wins over Porto, Benfica and then A.C. Milan in a huge Derby della Madonnina.

Inter actually won both legs of that Milan derby, with Edin Džeko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan on target in the first 11 minutes of the ‘away’ tie, before Lautaro Martínez sealed the victory six days later, also at San Siro.

Il Biscione finished third in Serie A this season, a whopping 18 points behind Scudetto winners Napoli, but have been renowned for cup success under Simone Inzaghi.

During his two seasons in charge, Inter have won both the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana twice, beating Fiorentina in Rome 17 nights ago to retain the Coppa.

However, this’ll be an exponentially tougher test, but the Inter players do believe that an upset is possible.

For just the second time, the Champions League Final will be played in İstanbul, 18 years on from Liverpool’s historic comeback against A.C. Milan.

Will this Premier League vs Serie A rematch be equally as memorable at Atatürk Olimpiyat Stadı?

Manchester City team news

Pep Guardiola is expected to name an unchanged outfield line-up from last weekend’s FA Cup Final win, with Ederson returning in goal in place of Stefan Ortega.

Nathan Aké did come off the bench at Wembley, having started for the first time in four weeks at Brentford the Sunday before, but the back four is likely to remain the same.

Guardiola was widely ridiculed for not playing Rodri in the 2021 final against Chelsea, but assured the media this week he won’t make the same mistake again.

Up front, Erling Braut Håland is going through a goal draught, by his standards, scoring only once in his last seven appearances.

Julián Álvarez could become the first player ever to win the World Cup, Champions League/Copa Libertadores, league title and domestic cup all in the same season, which isn’t bad.

Predicted XI (4-1-4-1): Ederson; Walker, Stones, Rúben Dias, Akanji; Rodri, Gündoğan, Silva, De Bruyne, Grealish; Håland.

Internazionale team news

The biggest decision facing Simone Inzaghi is who does he start up front?

As was the case in the semi-finals, Edin Džeko will lead the line, against his former side, alongside Lautaro Martínez, with Romelu Lukaku likely to be left in reserve.

Nicolò Barella, Francesco Acerbi and Federico Dimarco were all rested for last Sunday’s dead-rubber Serie A win over Torino, but will all return here.

This’ll be Milan Škriniar’s final game for Inter, he’s agreed to join PSG on a free, but remains a key player for now.

Each of the last ten Champions League winning teams have had a Croatian in the XI, with Marcelo Brozović hoping to continue that trend in İstanbul.

He could return to midfield, alongside Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Barella, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan potentially missing out.

Predicted XI (3-5-2): Onana; Škriniar, Bastoni, Acerbi; Dumfries, Brozović, Çalhanoğlu, Barella, Dimarco; Džeko, Martínez.

Premier League table

Serie A table

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