Champions League: It’s the 2023 Final Rematch

Manchester City vs Inter Milan

Premier League champions Manchester City host Scudetto winners Inter Milan on Wednesday as the Champions League kicks off again with a mouth-watering tie at the Etihad Stadium.

The two teams last met in the European Final back in 2023 when a goal from Rodri was enough to give the Manchester giants their first Champions League title. Pep Guardiola’s Sky Blues are favourites to win the 2024/25 European crown at SBOTOP odds of 3.10 and they come into the game on the back of a strong start in the Premier League, a 2-1 win over Brentford making it four wins from four and leaving them in top place. Simone Inzaghi’s Inter Milan have made a solid start to their title defence with two wins and two draws, sharing the points away to Monza at the weekend in a 1-1 draw.

I Nerazzurri are in second place in Serie A but, right now, the Italians’ focus is on Manchester…and maybe some payback.

 

Talking Points

How can anyone stop Haaland?

Manchester City come into this game with no new injury worries and the huge boost of midfield anchor Rodri returning from injury during the win over Brentford. And then there’s the goal machine up front, which strikes fear into defenders world wide. Erling Braut Haaland is on fire, scoring a record nine goals in his first four league games this season, including two hat-tricks and a brace against the Bees. He was at his clinical best again on Saturday but Haaland hasn’t always found it easy against Brentford, scoring just once in three previous meetings with the West Londoners.

Bees defender Ben Mee shed some light on how they kept the Norwegian quiet in a previous victory for Brentford, with two key points. Firstly Mee said he and his centre back partner Ethan Pinnock crowded the striker out at every opportunity, but the risk there is leaving a co striker with too much space, and City do tend to get bodies in the box when they are on the attack. The other point is to limit the supply from Kevin de Bruyne who has been a constant supply for his striker and the two often link up with devastating results. It’s good advice for sure from the former Burnley defender; but sometimes there is little you can do to cut off the supply when the Sky Blues have the likes of Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan all looking for Haaland in space.

 

Barella fit for Inter  

The Champions League 2024 betting odds have placed I Nerazzurri at 23.50 to win the tournament and that slots them outside the top eight, but I would have thought the quarter finals was the minimum expectation of the Italian champions. And in some significant Champions League 2024 news, Inzaghi has had a boost with the successful return from the international break of Azzurri star Nicola Barella after he has recovered from a nose operation. The 27 year old is the near perfect midfielder, able to play as an anchor or in a more advanced position and his strength and reading of the game allows him to break up play and launch attacks. And he’s a goal threat too, making late runs into the penalty area, and Barella can finish equally well with left foot or right. He was on the bench against Monza and could make a start against Manchester City, alongside both Davide Frattesi and Stefan de Vrij who also made a successful return.    

Wingback Denzil Dumfries scored the equaliser against Monza and he’s a player City will keep a close eye on. The Netherlands star is a lively customer and a ready supply of ammunition for in-form striker Marcus Thuram, who leads the early race for the Capocannoniere with four goals from three outings.   

 

History

These two teams have met three times, taking a 3-0 win each before they met in the Champions League final in Istanbul when the Sky Blues took the edge.

Both come into the game in strong form as Inter are unbeaten in five and four games away from home, while the Sky Blues have won the last six and the last five at home.

 

Betting Tip

At 1.48 to win the Sky Blues are at short odds to start with a victory and I suspect they will. Inter Milan can be backed at 5.40 to win or 4.14 to draw or at 2.45 with the Double Chance: Win or Draw.

I Nerazzurri will be looking for some revenge for their 2023 loss; but I don’t think they’ll get it on Wednesday.  

   

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