Manchester City – Inter

Manchester City won’t defeat Inter

Manchester City will play against Inter on Wednesday, 18 September. This is the centrepiece of the first leg of the Champions League. The giants met each other in the final of the tournament in 2023. Now the odds on the Italians are even higher than they were then: the quote is aiming for 6.50. Manchester City had a perfect start to the season in England, although there were concerns due to the lack of the usual reinforcements and tired veterans. "The Citizens" won the Super Cup with an experimental squad, and then went on to stamp victories in the championship of England. Manchester City is perfectly on course for the tournament, with 12 points. At the same time, the calendar was not easy: the club beat Chelsea and West Ham away. Erling Holand seems to be targeting 40 goals in the APL. The Norwegian striker has already scored nine goals in four meetings. That means the striker is averaging more than two goals per game - a phenomenal result even on such a short run. Manchester City, despite the concerns, still have two equally good squads. Savio and Gundogan are already starting from the first minute. Goalkeeper Ederson has decided not to leave for Saudi Arabia, as has Kevin De Bruyne. The team looks the strongest in Europe and is rightly considered the main favourites for the Champions League. The return of Jack Grealish to the starting line-up is also noteworthy. The player gained form in the summer without the Euros. Inter are still far from the championship schedule. Simone Inzaghi's team has already lost four points in Serie A. The reigning champions failed to win away against Genoa in the first round (2:2), and saved a draw away against Monza on 15 September. Inter haven't changed the squad much since last season. The club still uses a 3-5-2 scheme, and in attack the main rely on miracles from Lautaro Martinez. Inter have decent squad depth. In the summer, the club worked on strengthening the squad, which is important with a busy schedule. Now Simone Inzaghi can afford to keep Hakan Çalhanoglu and Nicola Barella in the reserves. Both players did not play in the last meeting. Inter have Mehdi Taremi and Piotr Zielinski as substitutes - a solid reinforcement for the second half. The odds on Inter look overvalued. Manchester City haven't played against the real giants yet. In the APL, it has only beaten mid-table sides in a predictable scenario. Importantly, the Citizens' defence has conceded in three out of four meetings. In the last face-to-face match, Inzaghi was able to surprise Guardiola, although he did not have such a deep squad. Now the game with chances for Inter is viewed. The team is able to create problems for the Citizens due to quality defence and individual skill of the stars.