Manchester City Ready to Put 2021 Champions League Final Defeat Behind Them
Manchester City are set to take on Inter Milan in the 2021 Champions League final in Istanbul on Saturday. Pep Guardiola, the City manager, has insisted that his team are ready to put their defeat in the 2021 Champions League final behind them for good. The team was beaten 1-0 by Chelsea in Porto in their only previous appearance in the final of Europe’s elite club competition.
Guardiola came under criticism for tinkering with what had been a winning team, as he surprisingly omitted captain Fernandinho and Rodrigo from the base of his midfield. However, Guardiola is confident that his team is ready for the challenge ahead. “Tomorrow will be the same, have a plan, have an idea and communicate to the players. We are ready,” he said.
City are looking to complete a remarkable treble by winning the Champions League for the first time in their history, after retaining the Premier League title and then beating Manchester United 2-1 in last weekend’s FA Cup final thanks to two Ilkay Gundogan goals.
City are the overwhelming favorites to complete the job against Inter, having seen off RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, all in comprehensive fashion, in this season’s knockout rounds. The goals of Erling Haaland, who has scored 52 in all competitions since joining City from Borussia Dortmund, have helped elevate Guardiola’s side to new heights this season.
However, Haaland did not score in either leg of the semifinal against Madrid and has not found the net in his last four appearances, which constitutes a veritable goal drought for such a prolific player. De Bruyne, who has enjoyed providing goals for Haaland this season, jokingly denied that it was a case of love at first sight between the two, as he expressed hope the striker will be back on form against Inter.
“I am happy with my wife,” he replied when asked about the chemistry between them. “Sometimes you have a feeling with a player, you understand what he wants and he understands what I want or what I can do. It just clicked really well and he started scoring at an incredible rate. That helps and it settled him really easily in the team. Hopefully he can do what he needs to do tomorrow.”
De Bruyne is nevertheless aware that City may need to be patient against an obstinate Inter side who have exceeded all expectations in reaching a first Champions League final in 13 years. “We understand what Inter is,” he said. “They defend incredibly well. We don’t expect it to be an open game. That doesn’t happen a lot in a final anyway.”
City’s Road to the Final
Manchester City has had a remarkable journey to the 2021 Champions League final. The team has seen off RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid in this season’s knockout rounds. The team has been in excellent form this season, retaining the Premier League title and beating Manchester United 2-1 in last weekend’s FA Cup final thanks to two Ilkay Gundogan goals.
The goals of Erling Haaland, who has scored 52 in all competitions since joining City from Borussia Dortmund, have helped elevate Guardiola’s side to new heights this season. However, Haaland did not score in either leg of the semifinal against Madrid and has not found the net in his last four appearances, which constitutes a veritable goal drought for such a prolific player.
City’s opponents in the final, Inter Milan, have exceeded all expectations in reaching their first Champions League final in 13 years. The team has defended incredibly well throughout the tournament and is expected to put up a tough fight against City.
Guardiola’s Plan for the Final
Guardiola has insisted that his team is ready for the challenge ahead. “Tomorrow will be the same, have a plan, have an idea and communicate to the players. We are ready,” he said. Guardiola has been criticized in the past for tinkering with what had been a winning team, as he surprisingly omitted captain Fernandinho and Rodrigo from the base of his midfield in the 2021 Champions League final against Chelsea.
However, Guardiola is confident that his team is ready for the challenge ahead. City are looking to complete a remarkable treble by winning the Champions League for the first time in their history, after retaining the Premier League title and then beating Manchester United 2-1 in last weekend’s FA Cup final thanks to two Ilkay Gundogan goals.
De Bruyne’s Role in City’s Success
Kevin De Bruyne has been instrumental in Manchester City’s success this season. The Belgian playmaker has enjoyed providing goals for Erling Haaland this season, jokingly denying that it was a case of love at first sight between the two. “I am happy with my wife,” he replied when asked about the chemistry between them.
De Bruyne is nevertheless aware that City may need to be patient against an obstinate Inter side who have exceeded all expectations in reaching their first Champions League final in 13 years. “We understand what Inter is,” he said. “They defend incredibly well. We don’t expect it to be an open game. That doesn’t happen a lot in a final anyway.”
Conclusion
Manchester City is set to take on Inter Milan in the 2021 Champions League final in Istanbul on Saturday. Pep Guardiola, the City manager, has insisted that his team is ready to put their defeat in the 2021 Champions League final behind them for good. City are looking to complete a remarkable treble by winning the Champions League for the first time in their history, after retaining the Premier League title and then beating Manchester United 2-1 in last weekend’s FA Cup final thanks to two Ilkay Gundogan goals.