This year’s Champions League final throws up a first-ever competitive meeting between Manchester City and Inter Milan as they prepare to go toe to toe in Istanbul.
While the sides have never clashed in Europe, City’s record in the Champions League against Italian clubs should give them hope they can be the ones to lift the trophy at Atatürk Olympic Stadium on June 10.
City Can Take Heart From Italian Record
Taking part in the Champions League for the first time in the 2010/11 season, City can take plenty of positives from how they have fared against Serie A opposition. Current manager Pep Guardiola is plotting how his side will take on Inter, with the Citizens the -450 favorites in the Champions League final odds to take the trophy home to Manchester. For those betting on football, City is the -250 favorites to secure the win in regular time, against an Inter side who last won the Champions League back in 2010. The fact these two sides have not met in a competitive game makes for an intriguing contest, but City can draw back on other games against Italian sides in the past.
Matches against Serie A teams have not been common occurrences for City, as they have not faced an Italian side in any of their last 42 Champions League games. However, proceeding that, they did get the better of Atalanta in the 2019/20 season in the group stages. Winning 5-1 against Atalanta at the Etihad Stadium, City went on to draw 1-1 in Italy against La Dea. Going back to the 2017/18 campaign, the Citizens were pitted against Napoli in the group stage and managed to overcome the current Serie A champions 2-1 in Manchester and 4-2 in Naples. Guardiola was at the helm during those seasons, and the Spanish tactician might well draw from those experiences against Italian opposition ahead of this year’s final.
Inter’s Record Against English Clubs
When it comes to Inter Milan and their record against Premier League opponents, the Nerazzurri has managed to win 15 of their 38 games, losing 17 and drawing the other six. Inter’s last encounter against an English side in Europe came last season, when they faced Liverpool in the knockout stages. Despite winning the second leg 1-0 at Anfield thanks to Lautaro Martínez’s goal, Inter were knocked out of the Champions League as they failed to overturn the 2-0 first-leg defeat at the San Siro.
City will pose a similar test to the Liverpool side of that season, with the Reds reaching the final of the Champions League before defeat to Real Madrid in Paris. The Citizens have been outstanding this season in Europe, and a 5-1 aggregate victory over Real in the semi-finals shows just what Guardiola’s side is capable of.
Inter is certainly not to be underestimated, but City’s most recent record against Italian opponents will give them hope they can secure that elusive first Champions League title.
