Pep discounts Man City’s strong build-up, says ‘a final is about how you behave for 95 minutes’

ISTANBUL – Manchester City are huge favourites heading into Saturday’s Champions League final against Inter Milan in Istanbul, as they aim to finally win the greatest prize in European club football and complete a historic treble.

Pep Guardiola’s men have become England’s dominant force since the transformative 2008 takeover of the club by the Abu Dhabi United Group.

They have won seven Premier League titles in the last 12 seasons and followed their latest triumph by

claiming the FA Cup

against rivals Manchester United last Saturday.

Now they can match the achievement of Alex Ferguson’s United side in 1999 by beating Inter at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium and securing a treble.

Guardiola, however, has warned his players that their confidence must not slip into arrogance.

“Of course we are confident, so optimistic, but at the same time I cannot deny the difficulties and qualities of the opponents,” he said.

“I have never done it (underestimating) and especially in the final of the Champions League.”

The Spaniard admitted there was far better preparation this time than their only previous appearance in the European showpiece two years ago when his side

lost 1-0 to Chelsea.

But he insisted that City’s stunning form in the last four months will count for nothing when it comes to getting the job done on Saturday.

“We know a final is about how you behave for 95 minutes,” Guardiola said.

“It doesn’t matter what you do in group stage, last 16, quarter-finals, Premier League or FA Cup. It’s one single game you have to be better than the opponent.”

City lost in last season’s semi-finals to Real Madrid, but the addition of striker Erling Haaland

appears to have taken Guardiola’s team to a new level.

The Norwegian has scored 52 goals since arriving from Borussia Dortmund in the pre-season, and City land in Turkey having been beaten just once – an inconsequential loss to Brentford on the last day of the Premier League season – in their last 27 games.

With Haaland leading their attack, Kevin de Bruyne conducting the orchestra, a watertight defence and inspirational captain Ilkay Gundogan perhaps playing his last game, the task facing Inter is a daunting one.

City have also not lost in Europe this season and dished out heavy beatings to RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich and Real in the knockout rounds.

So there is surely nothing to fear against only the third-best team in Italy, except perhaps their own past demons in crucial Champions League games.

“We’ve still not won it yet,” warned de Bruyne. “The Champions League is something we have not won and it is something that we want to win. Hopefully it will be Saturday.”

City cannot overlook the threat of an Inter team who qualified from their group ahead of Barcelona before seeing off Porto, Benfica and rivals AC Milan.

The three-time European champions have a clear Cup pedigree, having recently retained the Italian Cup.

Guardiola also heaped praise on Inter’s organisation and defence, with the Italian side having conceded just three goals over the course of six matches in the knockout stages.

“It is not easy to attack the defensive system Inter use,” he said.

“So we will have to be patient – we are not going to do it with three or four passes.

“They have a good shape not just in how they defend but how good they are with the ball in the transition... so it makes our high pressing difficult.”

Kyle Walker is City’s only injury worry, as the right-back sat out training on Tuesday with a back injury. But he is expected to recover in time.

Inter, meanwhile, know exactly what they are up against, not least veteran 37-year-old forward Edin Dzeko, who played for City from 2011 to 2016. He has scored 14 goals this season and has been an excellent foil for Inter’s star forward, Lautaro Martinez.

Simone Inzaghi’s side may not have as many superstars as City, but they have a grizzled backline, dangerous wing-backs and a hard-working midfield where Nicolo Barella excels.

“We’re talking about a football match, there’s no fear,” said the coach.

Defender Alessandro Bastoni added: “You are scared of murderers, not football players. It would be a mistake to talk about fear.”

In Bastoni, former United player Matteo Darmian and Francesco Acerbi, Inter possess a defensive trio well versed in the best Italian methods and who will relish the challenge of trying to stop City’s attackers.

Inzaghi added that if City’s players are to achieve sporting immortality, they are going to have to earn it. AFP, REUTERS