Champions League Final Preview: Man City chase a place in history books as Inter try to play party-spoilers

Pep Guardiola and Manchester City will be chasing history on Saturday, June 10 evening as they take on Inter Milan in the final of the Champions League. While talks have been about Manchester City chasing a treble, Inter Milan too are chasing a treble going into the summit clash in Istanbul on Saturday. City who could become just the second team in English football history to win the treble of Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup will look to stamp their authority on the final. Inter on the flip side will look to rely on their offence and defence which saw them get the better of city rivals AC Milan on their way to the final.

City chase treble

Not since 1999, has an English club won a treble of the Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup, but Pep and Co will be determined to go one better. Having the likes of Erling Haaland, Kevin de Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden will be an added boost for Pep’s army while a more than handy bench makes a swift reading for the Citizens. On their way to the final, they got the better of record champions Real Madrid (5-1) and Bayer Munich (4-1) which will now see them favourites to clinch the title in Istanbul.

Can Inter cause the upset?

In 2023, Inter have already won two titles – Copa Italia and the Italian Super Cup and will look to add another trophy to their cabinet. Manager Simone Inzaghi was facing the sack at the turn of the year, but results in recent months have taken a turn and could see Inter add the Champions League trophy to their Copa Italia triumph. The three-time champions have the likes of former City man Edin Dzeko, Argentine World Cup winner Lautaro Martínez, and Romelu Lukaku to bolster the attacking ranks.

ALSO READ | WTC Final: Ricky Ponting explains where India went wrong with their bowling plan in first innings

Team News

City will look to put out almost the same Playing XI that featured in the final of the FA Cup and could see only one change apart. Goalkeeper Ederson should come back into the fold in place of Stefan Ortega, who stood as the Cup goalkeeper.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan, former Manchester United man is out for Inter with a thigh injury and will not take part in the final while Joaquin Correa is only expected to make the bench. There are no other injury causalities for Inter but could see Milan Skriniar and Stefan de Vrij bow out for one last time in the team’s colours if they appear from the bench.

Possible starting lineups

Manchester City

Ederson; Walker, Dias, Akanji; Stones, Rodri; Silva, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Grealish; Haaland

Inter Milan

Onana; Darmian, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Mkhitaryan, Calhanoglu, Dimarco; Martinez, Dzeko

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.