Manchester City aim to make history by winning the UEFA Champions League for the first time and completing a historic Treble when they face Inter Milan in the final at Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium. Pep Guardiola’s side have already claimed the Premier League and FA Cup this season.
This is City’s second Champions League final in three years, following a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in 2020-21. “We just need to find a way to win the first one,” City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne told BBC Radio 5 Live. “If we could do that, it would be immense for the players, the club, and the fans.”
Manchester United remain the only English club to have achieved a Treble, securing the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League in 1998-99.
City head into the final in formidable form, having lost just one of their last 26 games across all competitions and going unbeaten in Europe this season, winning seven of 12 Champions League matches. Guardiola is chasing European glory for the first time since his 2011 Champions League win with Barcelona, where he also achieved a treble in 2008-09. On paper, his City squad appears even more dominant than that Barcelona team; City have scored 31 goals and conceded only five in Europe so far this season.
Guardiola praised his star striker, Erling Haaland: “If you have doubts about Erling Haaland scoring goals, you are a lonely person. I have no doubts. He will be ready to help us win the Champions League.” Haaland, who has scored 36 Premier League goals and 52 in all competitions this season, is eager to emulate Ole Gunnar Solskjær, the last Norwegian to score in a Champions League final for Manchester United in 1999.
Inter Milan Aim for Fourth European Title
Inter, under Simone Inzaghi, will aim to claim a fourth European crown. The Italians, who finished third in Serie A and won the Coppa Italia, have kept eight clean sheets in 12 Champions League matches, with goalkeeper Andre Onana starring. Inter’s attack is led by Lautaro Martinez, who has scored 28 goals and provided 11 assists in 58 games this season, alongside former City striker Edin Dzeko and Romelu Lukaku. Martinez said: “It’s a huge dream for us…Personality is paramount. You must put all your heart into it.”
City vs Inter: Historical Context and Pressure
City enter as overwhelming favourites, with analytics firm Nielsen Gracenote giving them a 74.5% chance of winning and ranking them top of its Euro Club Index. Experts warn, however, that Guardiola’s side cannot take anything for granted. “The word repeated most in the camp is ‘patience’,” says European football expert Guillem Balague.
Route to the Final
City dominated their Champions League group, finishing unbeaten atop Group G ahead of Borussia Dortmund. They crushed RB Leipzig 8-1 on aggregate in the Round of 16, overcame Bayern Munich 4-1 on aggregate in the quarters, and defeated Real Madrid 5-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals.
Inter finished second in Group C behind Bayern Munich but advanced past Porto and Benfica before beating AC Milan 3-0 on aggregate in the semi-finals. Notably, Inter are only the fourth team in the Champions League era to reach the final after losing their opening group-stage game.
With City seeking their first European crown and a historic Treble, and Inter aiming for a fourth continental title, Saturday’s final promises to be a dramatic and unforgettable showdown in Istanbul.
