FT: Champions League Final: Manchester City 1-0 Inter Milan

They dismantled competition specialists Real Madrid in the last-four and go into tonight’s Champions League final as massive favourites.

Erling Haaland was signed for occasions like this – it is his last opportunity to add to the 52 goals he has already scored for City this season.

Inter are in the final for the first time since they lifted the trophy in 2010 and, having already won the Supercoppa Italiana and Coppa Italia this season, are looking for a hat-trick of their own.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan is fit enough only for the bench, with Romelu Lukaku also among the substitutes. Follow Man City vs Inter Milan with Infoexpert24 Sport’s LIVE blog below!

4 – Tonight will be Pep Guardiola’s fourth UEFA Champions League final as a coach (two with Barcelona in 2009 and 2011, two with Man City in 2021 and 2023), with only Carlo Ancelotti having managed in more (5). Pantheon. pic.twitter.com/0flNEQhfIi

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 10, 2023

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Warm-ups done!

The teams have gone back inside the dressing rooms in Istanbul.

Time for one final message from Guardiola and Inzaghi, before the players come out again for a match that could define their careers.

No pressure.

10 Mins till Kick off…..

Everything on the line for City

This is what the entire season has been building towards for Man City. Really it’s what the last 15 years have been building towards.

The Champions League is the one trophy they want more than any other, the one they haven’t yet got their hands on.

It feels almost inevitable that changes tonight, as it did that they would win the Premier League and FA Cup this season.

Huge, huge shock if Inter upset the script.

We currently have the pre-match ceremony going on, as the players wait in the tunnel. Feel like we could have had the dancing a bit earlier… or not at all.

Anyway, that’s finally done. Time for the main event.

Oh, Adam Gyorgy now on the piano. No, me neither.

While the talent show continues, the players are out onto the pitch. UEFA’s plan maybe to have the Champions League anthem played quietly on the piano so the City fans don’t boo it.

Clever.

For the last time this season 🎶#UCLfinal pic.twitter.com/ECTcpRtNC9

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) June 10, 2023

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KICK-OFF!

We’re underway in the Champions League final!

2 mins: Not quite the start Dzeko had planned. He takes his eye off the ball and pokes the ball straight out of play under no real pressure. Not fooling anyone with the look at the pitch that followed.

Inter not just sitting back in the early stages, they’re looking to get on the ball.

4 mins: Haaland in behind and fires a shot high and wide, wouldn’t have counted anyway. The offside flag is up.

Gundogan catches Barella with an arm to the face, not a huge amount of contact but the Inter man goes down. He’ll be ok.

6 mins: So close!

Silva allowed to drive into the box, onto his left foot and Dimarco still doesn’t close him down. City man looks to bend an effort into the far corner, very nearly finds the back of the net. Onana was not getting there.

9 mins: Inter not really having a touch of the ball at the moment, though they don’t look too bothered about that.

That helps, Dimarco poking the ball away from Bernardo and his heels are clipped by the City man.

10 mins: Inter starting to get going now, nice move and Dimarco has plenty of space out on the left.

Good ball into the box, plenty of Inter shirts in there but so too is Dias, who rises well to head it out and City can clear their lines.

12 mins: City want a goal-kick, then a free-kick, then Inter think they should have a free-kick.

Referee eventually decides to make a decison and City get their initial wish. Inter are offering a threat when they do get forward, committing numbers in attack.

16 mins: Plenty of clapping from Guardiola on the touchline. Not sure that’s a great sign.

His side have been tidy enough, but they’re being rushed by Inter. Italian side harrying them at every opportunity, working really hard off the ball..

19 mins: Grealish not being given any time on the ball. He’s not really been able to get into the match so far.

Barella then appears behind him and boots the ball away, Inter can break. That is until Dzeko is the man leading the counter, and Bernardo is swiftly over to close him down.

21 mins: Brozovic from distance, shanks it wide. Wasn’t helped by the fact he was closed down by Martinez, as his team-mate tried to take the ball for himself.

Ake does well to then win the ball back for City, Inter had Dumfries free on the right had he not done so.

24 mins: Inter enjoying success with the switch out to the left, Dimarco often has half the pitch to himself.

Onana goes long, Dzeko the man he aims for but too much on it and the ball runs through to Ederson. Midway through the first-half and it’s gone very quickly, despite there being little in the way of clear-cut chances.

26 mins: Dear me, Ederson almost with an absolute howler. He’s already been very casual a couple of times.

Passes it out, straight to Barella and he has an open goal to aim for, but he curls the effort well wide. Guardiola tells his goalkeeper to “relax” – not sure he could be more relaxed.

28 mins: More like it from City!

De Bruyne slides the pass through to Haaland, too strong to be stopped and he finds the space in the box on his left foot. Decent enough strike, but Onana can just about parry it away.

That was really sharp from Haaland.

29 mins: All of a sudden Inter are under pressure for the first time in the match.

De Bruyne drifts insides, fires the shot straight at Onana. City swiftly back on the attack, Grealish unable to pick out Bernardo though and Onana can claim again.

30 mins: Big problem for City. De Bruyne has sat down off the ball, physios are on.

He was forced off in the 2021 Champions League final, is it going to happen again? Foden is warming up.

This could be a huge moment in the final.

33 mins: De Bruyne back up and on for now, but Foden looks like he’s getting ready to come on.

Ball comes to De Bruyne, heavy pass just as he looked set to play Grealish in. Foden has his shirt on receiving some instructions, but the Belgian is desperately trying to continue.

35 mins: Stones really does have the freedom to play everywhere. Drifting over to right wing now, combining with Bernardo.

De Bruyne looks to stand a cross up to the back post, straight out. And now he signals to the bench, he’s not going to be able to continue.

Once again, he’s forced off in a Champions League final. Foden on in his place.

37 mins: Stones outrageously calm as he jogs back towards his own goal, charged down by three Inter players. Not a care in the world.

The Italian side do win it back, Dumfries free on the right. He makes a complete mess of it though, takes an age to do anything and the chance goes. So, so poor, Inter forced all the way back into their own half.

40 mins: Inter so aggressive in winning the ball back, they’ve been really impressive so far.

Foden then goes in on Acerbi, bit high and it’s a free kick for Inter. This has been a frustrating first half for City so far.

42 mins: Foden drifts into space, Haaland makes the run in behind but doesn’t get the pass. He’s not impressed.

Inter sitting deeper now, everyone right back in their own half. They just want to make it to half-time now with it still goalless.

44 mins: More like it from Grealish, skips past Dumfries and wins a free-kick out wide. He demands the referee shows a yellow card, doesn’t get his wish.

Foden swings it in deep, Rodri keeps it alive. Tries to send the ball back into the box, bounces back off him and out of play.

45+1 mins: Two minutes added on at the end of the half.

Plenty for Guardiola to consider at the break, his side have been a fair way off the standards we’ve seen in recent months.

HT: Man City 0-0 Inter

So far, so good for Inter.

Man City have dominated possession, of course, but little to show for it. Haaland had a shot saved, Bernardo went close… but that’s it really.

De Bruyne forced off with injury, another devastating night in the Champions League final for him.

Image Credit: Getty

Some first-half stats

Man City with more than 60% of the ball in the opening 45 minutes.

Only four shots though, two of those on target. One Haaland’s powerful strike, the other a comfortable save for Onana from De Bruyne’s strike from distance.

Four shots too for Inter, their biggest chance coming when Ederson passed the ball straight to Barella.

It’s right in the balance.

2nd half Back underway!

47 mins: Dimarco throws himself to the ground after a shove from Bernardo, referee couldn’t care less.

Inter man is holding his face and his back, covering all bases. Eventually realises nobody is paying him any attention and he’s back up.

50 mins: Woeful pass from Onana, Bernardo can pounce and he drifts into the box.

Lays it back towards Foden, but Acerbi is there and Inter can punt the ball up the pitch.

53 mins: It’s all starting to get a bit heated. Martinez thinks he’s fouled by Gundogan, referee disagrees.

City breaks, and Darmian is across to trip Grealish and stop any hope of a counter. Knew exactly what he was doing.

Foden swings the free-kick in, once again it’s far too deep from him.

55 mins: Martinez drifts out wide, holds the ball up for his side.

Cuts inside, plays the ball across to Calhanoglu and his effort from outside the box is blocked. Huge roar from the Inter fans behind that goal as their side get forward for the first time since the break.

56 mins: First Inter change of the night.

Dzeko is down, Lukaku is stripped and ready to come on. Stage is set for him to be the hero.

He is on to partner Martinez up front.

58 mins: Big save!

Wow. Akanji and Ederson with a miscommunication and Martinez is in on goal.

Tight angle, Ederson flies off his line and he smothers the shot.

59 mins: And now Barella picks up the first yellow card of the final.

Foden was driving forward, Inter man came flying in to take him out. Not sure he even bothered looking at the ball, let alone try and win it.

63 mins: Inter starting to enjoy a bit more time in the City half. They really are right in this final.

Ball bobbles around in the box, Dumfries and Lukaku were lurking, but Dias gets an important touch.

65 mins: That gives City a bit more space as they counter, Stones played in on the overlap and his cross is turned behind for a corner. Grealish to take.

Whistle goes, looks like it was Stones who the referee has penalised for grabbing. Dragged Bastoni back.

67 mins: Sensational defending from Bastoni!

Haaland bundles his way through the challenge, looks to slide Foden clean through on goal but the Inter man sticks out a foot and intercepts the pass. He’s been superb tonight.

GOAL! Man City 1-0 Inter Milan | Rodri 68′

MAN CITY TAKE THE LEAD! HUGE MOMENT.

Bernardo gets in behind, his cut back deflects to the edge of the box and Rodri is there to fire it into the bottom corner. Onana doesn’t move.

71 mins: OFF THE BAR!

Inter should equalise! Dimarco’s looped header bounces off the bar, he’s then there on the rebound and nods it towards the empty net… Lukaku blocks it!

Disaster for Inter, Lukaku got in his team-mate’s way.

73 mins: Some game we have now.

Ball fed to Lukaku, drives into the box on his right foot and fires at goal. Straight at Ederson. Inter really pushing.

76 mins: Gosens on for Bastoni for Inter, Bellanova on for Dumfries.

Walker will be coming on it looks like, although Guardiola has just pulled him back and said he wants to wait before making that change.

78 mins: Foden with the chance to seal it… saved by Onana! Brilliant play to create the chance.

City doing a good job of controlling things now, they’re probably the last team in the world you want to fall behind to.

82 mins: Stones is down in the Inter box, his shirt completely ripped.

That will be the end of his night, Walker finally coming on. Guardiola very animated on the touchline.

83 mins: Awful challenge from Lukaku. Filed that under ‘frustrated’.

Slides in on Gundogan, from behind and he earns himself a yellow card. Inter starting to lose their heads, far too many fouls.

86 mins: Will Inter get one more chance? They’re struggling enough to get the ball at the moment.

Onana is basically playing in defence now, lost all interest in goalkeeping. Fair enough.

88 mins: AN INCREDIBLE SAVE! HOW ARE INTER NOT LEVEL?!

Ball to the back post, nodded back across goal and Lukaku looks certain to head home… Ederson somehow keeps it out. Ridiculous.

Bounces off his knee at point-blank range.

90+2 mins: FIVE MINUTES ADDED ON!

Haaland into the book for trying to slow things down. City so, so close.

90+4 mins: Brilliant!

Inter launch the ball into the box, Ederson charges off his line and claims. That should be that.

FT: Man City 1-0 Inter Milan

THEY HAVE DONE IT!

Champions League champions… and they’ve won the Treble!

THE CHAMPIONS. #UCLfinal pic.twitter.com/18vhD57G9f

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) June 10, 2023

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