Man City vs Inter Milan Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 UEFA Champions League | League Phase
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A rematch of the 2022-23 Champions League final sees Man City take on Inter Milan in one of the stand out games of this opening round of league phase fixtures.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Wednesday September 18th 2024: UK – 8:00pm / US ET – 3:00pm / US PT – 12:00pm
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – TNT Sports 1 / US – CBS Sports
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – discovery+ / US – Paramount+
MAN CITY PREVIEW: CHAMPIONS OF ENGLAND OUT TO DOMINATE EUROPE AGAIN
As expected, Man City have begun the new season extremely strongly, winning all four of their matches so far in the Premier League. The incredible form of striker Erling Haaland has spearheaded their blistering start, racking up nine goals, including back-to-back hat-tricks. The Norwegian superstar boasts 41 goals in 39 Champions League appearances and will no doubt be desperate to add to his tally here.
There may be one chink to their armoury, that being that Pep Guardiola’s side have now gone three straight games without keeping a clean sheet and the perfectionist that is three-time Champions League winner Guardiola will want to restore order within his backline, especially with an opponent of Inter’s class on the horizon.
INTER MILAN PREVIEW: SIMONE INZAGHI’S MEN FACE ULTIMATE DEFENSIVE TEST
Inter Milan finished last season as Serie A champions, but suffered major disappointment in Europe. After finishing runners-up to Man City in the 2022-23 Champions League, the Nerazzurri were beaten over two legs by Atletico Madrid in the round of 16 in 2023-24. They are set to face both the Premier League’s top two teams across the league phase, with their trip to Man City followed up by a home clash with Arsenal three matchdays later.
So far this campaign, Inter are yet to be beaten, although it has been far from straightforward with them having drawn two of their four Serie A fixtures. Away games against Genoa and Monza each ended in draws with Inter conceding at least once on each occasion. That will be a worry for Simone Inzaghi.
MAN CITY TEAM NEWS: AKE AND BOBB OUT BUT FODEN COULD FEATURE
Winger Savinho has trained and should be passed fit to play, but Nathan Ake and Oscar Bobb are both missing. Phil Foden could be in line for his first start of the campaign.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Walker, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol; Rodri, Lewis; Bernardo Silva, De Bruyne, Doku; Haaland
UNAVAILABLE: Ake (Injured), Bobb (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Savinho (Injured)
INTER MILAN TEAM NEWS: MUSCLE FATIGUE MAY RULE OUT DIMARCO
Influential left-wing-back Federico Dimarco is a huge doubt for Inter Milan with a muscle and he would join Buchanan on the sidelines should the Italian international be ruled out.
PREDICTED XI (3-5-2): Sommer; Pavard, Acerbi, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Augusto; Thuram, Lautaro Martinez
UNAVAILABLE: Buchanan (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Dimarco (Injured)
KEY STATS
- Man City have won four and drawn one of their last five UEFA competition matches against Italian teams.
- Man City have won each of their last 12 home games in the UEFA Champions League group stage.
- Man City have never failed to score in a home match in the UEFA Champions League group stage (39 games).
- Man City have scored three goals in each of their last seven UEFA Champions League group stage matches.
- Man City have won on Matchday 1 in each of the last five seasons of the UEFA Champions League.
- Inter Milan have lost only two of their last 15 UEFA Champions League matches (W8 D5).
- Inter Milan were unbeaten in the UEFA Champions League group stage last season (W3 D3).
- Inter Milan's last UEFA Champions League match in England was a 1-0 win at Liverpool in the 2021/22 round of 16 second leg.
- Inter Milan have won only two of their last 12 fixtures on Matchday 1 of the UEFA Champions League (D6 L4). Their last success on Matchday 1 was a 2-1 home win against Tottenham in September 2018.
MAN CITY VS INTER MILAN PREDICTION
Man City’s relentless goalscoring ability makes them so difficult to back against, especially when taking into account the incredible run that Erling Haaland is currently on. However, it’s hard to ignore their tendency to find a way of conceding even when totally dominating a game and it would be no surprise to see Inter Milan get on the scoresheet.
With Kevin De Bruyne likely to be pulling the strings and a plethora Man City attacking midfielders capable of creating opportunities whether it be from out wide or centrally, Pep Guardiola’s men should overwhelm the Inter backline across the 90 minutes, so back Man City to pick up the three points, albeit with both teams scoring.
MAN CITY VS INTER MILAN TIP: MAN CITY TO WIN AND BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE
