Champions League final: Three key Man City-Inter Milan battles where it will be won and lost 

Manchester City are just hours away from possibly securing the historic Treble they have dreamed of for so long. But before they get their hands on the silverware, they must beat Inter Milan in the Champions League final.

Pep Guardiola’s side will take on the Serie A giants at Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium on Saturday night, eager to get their hands on the trophy that has eluded them for so long.

However, City’s track record in the Champions League is one of heartbreak and disappointment.

During Guardiola’s first season as City boss, the Premier League giants went all-out against Monaco in the Round of 16, securing a 5-3 lead in the first leg. However, they lost their advantage and eventually lost the tie due to defensive shortcomings.

The following year, the City boss decided to play Aymeric Laporte in an unfamiliar position on the left. As a result, Liverpool won the match 3–0 and progressed to the next stage of the competition 5–1 on aggregate.

Guardiola wanted to turn things around in 2019 and keep their quadruple hopes alive as they played Spurs in the quarter-finals.

However, it was not to be. City also crashed out of the tournament in the quarter-finals in 2020 before losing to Chelsea in the 2021 final.

Therefore, Mail sports have identified the key battles for Manchester City’s clash with Inter Milan on Saturday night – looking at Erling Haaland v Francesco Acerbi, Kevin De Bruyne v Marcelo Brozovic and Ruben Dias v Lautaro Martinez.

Erling Haaland v Francesco Acerbi

Erling Haaland set the world on fire during his first season in Manchester. He scored 36 Premier League goals to become the highest single-season goalscorer in top-flight English history.

Haaland also broke the record for most goals in a single season in all competitions by a Premier League player after scoring a total of 52 goals. In addition, Haaland became the first player in the Premier League to score hat-tricks in three consecutive home matches.

Haaland has also excelled on the European stage – scoring more Cup goals than Ryan Giggs, Sadio Mane, Rivaldo, Luis Suarez, Antoine Griezmann, Wayne Rooney and more.

So it’s safe to say that Haaland is a handful. And the person who will be responsible for restraining the City striker in Istanbul is Francesco Acerbi.

Acerbi, 35, has moved to a more central position over the course of the season and will be hoping to use his strength to stunt City’s striker at the source. Acerbi is also dominant in the air, but he struggles with speed, which could spell trouble against Haaland.

As a result, Acerbi will be vulnerable if left in a 1v1 situation with Haaland.

He must also defend on the front foot and avoid running a foot race with the Norwegian striker in an attempt to win this battle.

Kevin De Bruyne vs Marcelo Brozovic

Manchester City will be looking forward to creator extraordinaire De Bruyne on Saturday night, given his impressive form over the course of the 2022/23 season. He has scored 10 goals and provided 31 assists, making him a key asset for unlocking Inter’s defence.

Marcelo Brozovic, however, is given the task of keeping De Bruyne at bay.

He is regarded as the engine and one of the more reliable defensive midfielders in Simone Inzaghi’s team.

Brozovic is known for his unflinching physicality – he has collected 11 yellow cards this season – and will try to assert his authority over the Belgium international from the first whistle.

Brozovic has to use all his experience to his advantage on Saturday. He has played on the big stage before and knows how to handle big occasions – he played in the 2018 World Cup final.

If Brozovic is to be successful against De Bruyne he needs to keep his wits about him and prevent City from performing the little give and go unity they are known for.

In addition, Brozovic must try to limit De Bruyne’s sight and time on the ball – given his accuracy when it comes to short- and long-range passing.

Ruben Dias vs Lautaro Martinez

Dias v Martinez will be another key fight in Saturday night’s Champions League final.

Martinez is eager to get behind City’s backline – he’s had great success doing so at Inter during the season.

Martinez found the back of the net 21 times in Serie A to become one of Europe’s highest-rated strikers.

However, he struggled for form during this Champions League campaign, scoring just three times in 12 appearances.

But Martinez cannot be underestimated as he has shown himself to be a relentless goalscorer when smelling the inside of the box.

His partnership with former Man City striker Edin Dzeko has also blossomed this season – with the pair posing a threat to City both behind and physically in their heist.

Therefore, Dias must use his magic to stop the Argentina star after John Stones took on a new role as a defensive midfielder. As it stands, City have only conceded five times in their 12 games in Europe.

In addition, City went 25 games unbeaten in all competitions until their defeat at Brentford on the last day of the Premier League season. So, what does City need from Dias to ensure their backline remains solid?

Well, Martinez is known for his speed and ability to successfully dribble past defenders. Martinez has also started scoring from distance during the 2022-2023 season.

That is why Dias has to eliminate the World Cup winner early. The City defender should try to intercept where possible and stay close to Martinez without being rolled.

In addition, Dias must use his power to win all 50/50 battles. But City shouldn’t be at concerned as they have managed to hold off several stars over the course of the season, both domestically and in Europe.