Gut Feelings: Manchester City v Inter Milan - UEFA Champions League Final

Manchester City Football Club are one sleep from achieving their biggest moment ever. The Sky Blues will face Inter Milan in the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final to decide who is the best club in Europe. Our City Collective have assembled for one last time this season to give you their predictions for what could be the biggest moment in City’s history. Our Captain, Manc Pete, leads us out.

Manc Pete (@inuisibilem) - Bitter and Blue

This is it. The Champions League final and the potential culmination of the treble. How will it go? Well, first of all, we need to give Inter the respect they deserve. We shouldn’t have an attitude that we just need to turn up and that’s it. It’s going to be a hell of a game and a nail-biting 90 minutes.

Personally, I think we’ll do it. Inter are a good side, but City take some beating. If they get in the same mood as they did when Real came to town, City could run away with it. Edin may cause a few issues, but I think we’ll be okay.

I’m going for 3-0 to City. Maybe 3-1. No 3-0.

Or 3-1.

Manchester City 3-1 Inter Milan

Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images

Craig Resnik-Hanson (@CraigSporticos) – Sporticos

Pep likes to self-destruct at these times, but there are normally some signs of that as we approach the end of the season, foreshadowing the inevitable misery. This time around, there’s no such indication. He’s playing a settled, consistent starting lineup every week and has been for months, apart from the dead rubbers at the end of the league campaign. The first team picks itself. Unless he does something truly infuriating and tries to unnecessarily outwit Simeone, there can be only one winner here. Inter, in a way, should provide a tougher test than Madrid and Bayern, in that they will know their limitations and not dare to try to compete with us. They will sit back and try to steal something. Madrid and Bayern thought they were on our level, that was their downfall. Inter know they aren’t, that will be their strength. It won’t be easy. Nonetheless, by the end of the game we will either be celebrating the culmination of decades of fandom, the true pinnacle of everything we’ve ever wished for, or we’ll be cursing Guardiola for f*cking it up with another one of his harebrained schemes. If the genius sticks with what he’s built, what got us this far, and tells the players to humbly do what they do best, we have to be heavy, heavy favourites.

Manchester City 2-0 Inter Milan

Photo by Michael Regan - The FA/The FA via Getty Images

Saul Garcia (@BitterandBlue1) - Bitter and Blue

Biggest match of the season and perhaps in City history. A treble is in sight and we play a difficult 3 man back line. Expect a strong City to come out firing and score early and get the win. Haaland and Grealish will be huge and be the impact players. City win 2-0.

Manchester City 2-0 Inter Milan

Photo by Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images

Adam Marrett (@AdamAdammarrett) - Esteemed Kompany

Here it is. The final hurdle in a historical season & a chance for this City squad to become immortals.

A massive occasion awaits, I’ve spent all week counting down the hours until kick off, and the moment is nearly here.

As for the game I expect Inter Milan to set up with their usual 5-3-2 formation and I’m expecting them to play on the break and try to contain and frustrate City for as long as possible. They do possess their own threat with Martinez and Dzeko up front, and Lukaku when he enters the game. They aren’t in the Champions League Final for nothing, so they’ll be up for the game as well. They have tended to leak goals this season at times so they can be got at.

As for us I’m expecting the same 11 as last weekend to start here again. That line up has done the job against Bayern & Real so I’m expecting it to start the final. The only change I could see happening is Foden in place of Bernardo but that’s unlikely in my opinion. If we bring the passing and pressing intensity we did against Real I think we will be all over Inter.

I’m expecting a tight opening and at some point I see us breaking them down and at some point the damn wall breaking.

Manchester City 3-0 Inter Milan

Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images

Dillon Meehan (@IVIeehan ) - City Report

Confident. Over the past few years, City have shown time and time again that they win the big games. I would prefer Pep to play aggressive and press as much as they did against Madrid at the Etihad, but I have a feeling it’s going to be much more about control. Pin them back early, constantly recycle possession and create space for Haaland to test these center backs.

Manchester City 2-0 Inter Milan

Photo by Mark Leech/Offside/Offside via Getty Images

Crunk Chocolate (@crunkchocolate) - Shades of Blue Podcast

One more game. The most important match in the Sheik Mansour era, possibly in Manchester City’s history as a football club. Has Pep learned from the repercussions of his “galaxy brain” moments? Will the lineup and tactics that earned City the spot at the finals? We won’t know until the starting XI is released. Fear of City being their worst enemy is gone. What is there to fear? City passed Arsenal in the Premier League, defeated VAR along with United to lift the F.A. Cup, and the only thing stopping City from everlasting greatness is a squad that I believe peaked beating AC Milan. A team that will be dismantled for funds in the Summer. Simone Inzaghi and his squad should be happy to be there. City will not take the moment lightly therefore no ending other than a Manchester victory is expected. The celebration is on! Treble Champions incoming.

Manchester City 3-1 Inter Milan

Photo by James Williamson - AMA/Getty Images

CITYZENDuck (@duckman4real) - Bitter and Blue

City are in the UCL Final for the second time in three seasons. Just think about that for a moment. What heights the Boys in Blue have climbed! From the 2nd Division to one step away from the pinnacle. Inter will certainly have a plan to stop Pep Guardiola’s men, but as former Heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson once said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” Make no mistake, City are the heavy hitters in this matchup. The lads will look to dictate the pace and apply constant pressure on Internazionale.

In the end, I look for City to grab an early lead and comfortably hold I Nerazzurri at arm's length. The Manc Blues will end the day as Champions of Europe, and captain İlkay Gündoğan will hold Old Big Ears up to the sky.

Manchester City 2-0 Inter Milan

Photo by Will Palmer/Sportsphoto/Allstar Via Getty Images

There you are. What are your thoughts on what might happen in Istanbul? Let us hear you in the comments. COME ON CITY!!!!