Preview & Prediction | Manchester City vs Inter Milan
Let’s preview the Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter. The first thing to comment on is the line-ups, in which I don’t expect many news. City with Ederson, Walker, Dias, Akanji, the doubt of whether Stones will play with Rodri in midfield or stay in the defensive line. Gündoğan would be the one in The double pivot if Stones plays as a center back, De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Grealish and Haaland.
3-5-2 for Inter with Onana, Darmian, Acerbi, Bastoni, Dumfries,, Barella, Çalhanoğlu, Brozovic, Dimarco, Lautaro Martínez and Džeko.
It should be noted that both teams are on a great run of results. City with one defeat in 27 games and Inter with only one in 13. The other reason to think that the match could be really close is the way Inter play with wing backs and 2 strikers. A shape rarely used in the elite, which tends to complicate the task of the center backs, as they aren’t used to defending the overlaps of the wing backs, as well as keeping an eye on the 2 strikers.
Man City’s press
The big question is whether City will decide to press high or not. I think that Inter with their constant rotations, with Acerbi high up the pitch, the midfield changing heights and the position of the wing backs varying, even switching sides, makes Inter a team with many resources to get a good build-up creating problems to City’s press.
Altought I think Guardiola’s side will press high, but instead of seeing De Bruyne with Haaland in a front 4, he will put De Bruyne defending the central channel, with Bernardo Silva narrow and Walker high covering Di Marco. In these situations is where I think Inter will throw a lot of long balls to Lautaro and Dzeko as if Dumfries is able to drag Aké out of position, Inter’s strikers will be 2v2 against Stones and Dias.
Man City in possession
When City have possession, which I imagine will be for most of the game I think we will see Guardiola’s 3-1-6 again, a formation he use against teams defending in a back 5, trying to generate superiority versus the defensive line, switching a lot of plays to isolate Walker 1v1. Surely the key to the game will be Inter’s ability to defend in a low block for long periods of time and if City are going to lose balls allowing Inter’s wing backs to counterattack, something that has got them a lot of goals this season.
With that being said, I expect a close game but in the end Man City are the frontrunners to win the Champions League final.
