Predicted Starting Line-Up: Manchester City vs Inter Milan (UEFA ...
Predicted Starting Line-Up: Manchester City vs Inter Milan (UEFA Champions League)
Manchester City kickstart their 2024/25 UEFA Champions League campaign on Wednesday night, as they welcome Inter Milan to the Etihad Stadium.
It is the perfect opening fixture for Manchester City fans, as the blues rekindle a match-up with Inter for the first time since the success in Istanbul, which saw the club lift the Champions League trophy for the first time and complete a historic treble.
Pep Guardiola and Rodri have touched on that fateful night ahead of Wednesday’s clash, with the Manchester City manager admitting he re-watched the game for the first time this week in preparation for the midweek encounter.
Rodri meanwhile has said he has watched clips of his goal “thousands of times” which we certainly cannot blame him for. However, the reminiscence will quickly be swept aside as preparation gets underway for this one.
After suffering a disappointing penalty shoot-out exit in last season’s quarter-final at the hands of Real Madrid, Manchester City will be more determined to reclaim their crown in this season’s new format of the now ‘league phase’ of the competition.
There are no new injury concerns for Pep Guardiola’s side ahead of this clash, after the manager confirmed Savinho was substituted late in the weekend win over Brentford with cramp and not a muscular injury, as was first feared.
Nathan Ake remains out long-term after suffering a hamstring injury with the Netherlands, while Phil Foden has trained as normal ahead of this one and is in contention for his first start of the season.
With that being said, here is the side we predict to start against Inter Milan at the Etihad Stadium, as Manchester City commence their UEFA Champions League campaign!
Despite the likelihood of Stefan Ortega being a cup keeper this season, we expect Ederson to hold his place for this one.
Kyle Walker made his first start of the season at the weekend as Manchester City beat Brentford 2-1, and we expect the same to happen tonight, with the Englishman keeping his place in the side.
John Stones should keep his place in the Manchester City line-up for this one, while Ruben Dias is likely to return to the fray after being used from the substitutes bench during the win at the weekend.
Josko Gvardiol also started on the bench for the visit of Thomas Frank’s Brentford, but will likely make his return to the starting line-up, completing the Manchester City defence for this one.
In what is an unforgettable fixture for Rodri, we thoroughly expect the Ballon d’Or-chasing Spaniard to start this one, hopefully cropping up with another side footed finish like he did in Istanbul.
Bernardo Silva was a surprise omission from the starting line-up on Saturday afternoon, but we expect the Portugal international to start this one, partnering a returning Phil Foden in the centre of midfield.
After Pep Guardiola confirmed he left the field with just cramp on Saturday afternoon, we think Savinho will hold down his place on the right of a front-three, making his UEFA Champions League debut for the club.
Erling Haaland simply loves scoring in the Champions League, and we expect him to be given the chance to extend his brilliant start to the season with a start tonight, and hopefully grab a record-breaking 100th goal for Manchester City in just his 104th appearance.
With Jack Grealish given the nod on Saturday afternoon, we think it is time for a Jeremy Doku start tonight, completing the line-up for the clash with Inter.
Predicted XI: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Dias, Gvardiol; Rodri, Bernardo, Foden; Savinho, Haaland, Doku.
Substitutes: Ortega Moreno, Lewis, Akanji, Wilson-Esbrand, Kovacic, Nunes, De Bruyne, McAtee, Grealish.
