UEFA Champions League: City face Inter blockbuster clash
Manchester City kick-start their 2024-25 Champions League campaign with an enticing showdown against Serie A champions, Inter Milan, at the Etihad Stadium today.
The two teams butt heads for the first time since the 2023 Champions League final was their only previous European encounter when Rodri scored the decisive goal in a narrow 1-0 victory in Istanbul to help the Citizens complete a historic treble.
Pep Guardiola’s side have now extended their exceptional unbeaten record at the Etihad to 46 games (W39 D7) and are now gearing up for three more home fixtures across three different competitions in the space of just seven days, following up today’s Champions League clash against Inter with Premier League and EFL Cup games versus Arsenal and Watford respectively.
Man City will be keen to make a strong start in the newly-expanded Champions League and secure a statement win over Inter; they head into their midweek showdown having not lost any of their last 23 Champions League matches and if they avoid defeat in their opening two fixtures of this season’s competition (against Inter and Slovan Bratislava on October 1), they will equal the longest unbeaten streak in the competition’s history set by rivals, Manchester United, (25) between 2007 and 2009.
Inter head into today’s contest having lost only three of their last 20 Champions League matches (W11 D6). However, the Italian giants have only started one of their last nine campaigns in the competition with a victory.
Seeking revenge against Man City following their 2023 Champions League final heartache, Inter travel to Etihad having previously won away at four different English clubs in the competition (Newcastle United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool), and they are bidding to become the fourth team after Barcelona (seven), Real Madrid and Bayern Munich (both five) to win on the road against at least five different English teams.
Guardiola is expected to hand star lynchpin, Rodri, his first start of the season after he gained 45 minutes of action under his belt in the win over Brentford, while Phil Foden will also be pushing to start after watching on as an unused substitute last time out.
Inzaghi is expected to recall a number of key players including defender Alessandro Bastoni and midfield duo, Hakan Calhanoglu and Nicolo Barella, the latter of whom watched on as an unused substitute last time out not long after undergoing sinus surgery.
Marcus Thuram has contributed with four goals and two assists in four Serie A games and is set to retain his place up front alongside captain, Lautaro Martinez, who is yet to score in three appearances so far this season.
—Sports Mole
