Champions League final: Are Man City in for a treble treat tonight?

Having won EPL and FA Cup, Manchester City hungry for more glory against Inter in Champions League final, the only honour that has eluded them

Manchester City are huge favourites for Saturday’s Champions League final against Inter Milan as Pep Guardiola’s side aim to finally get their hands on European club football’s greatest prize, and complete a historic treble. A win at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium here will see them match the treble feat achieved by Alex Ferguson’s Man United in 1999.

Since City’s 2008 takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group, they have become England’s dominant force, winning seven Premier League titles in the last 12 seasons and following their latest triumph with the FA Cup last weekend.

Beaten finalists in 2021, City lost in last year’s semi-finals to Real Madrid, but the addition of Erling Haaland has taken them to a new level. The Norwegian has scored 52 goals since arriving from Borussia Dortmund, and City arrive here having lost just once in their last 27 games and that too a 0-1 defeat at Brentford after the EPL title had been secured.

Also Read: Champions League Final: Inter Milan stand in way of Man City's treble chance

City have not lost in Europe this season and dished out heavy beatings to RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich and Madrid. So there’s surely nothing to fear in the final against the third-best team in Italy. “We’ve still not won it yet,” warned Kevin De Bruyne. “I’ve been here eight years and it’s been incredible. Could I come here and think about all the amount of games and trophies we would win in eight years? Probably not. But it is something we have not won yet and it is something that we want to win. Hopefully, it will be Saturday,” added De Bruyne.

Meanwhile, Inter qualified from a group over Barcelona before seeing off Porto, Benfica and AC Milan. They recently retained the Coppa Italia too. Veteran forward Edin Dzeko, 37, who played for City between 2011 and 2016, has scored 14 goals for Inter this season. Simone Inzaghi’s side have a grizzled back line, dangerous wing-backs and a hard-working midfield in which Nicolo Barella excels. “We’re talking about a football match, there’s no fear,” said Inzaghi. Defender Alessandro Bastoni added: “You are scared of murderers, not football players. It would be a mistake to talk about fear.” Inter are in their first final since winning the trophy under Jose Mourinho in 2010. They have lifted the trophy an impressive three times before.

20m
The prize money in euros for the UEFA Champions League winners

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