The irrepressible Manchester City are closing in on history with now just Inter Milan standing in their way of a first Champions League triumph.
City demolished Real Madrid in the semi-finals, winning the second leg at the Etihad Stadium 4-0 on 17 May to reach the final of this competition for just the second time.
Two years ago, it was heartbreak, with Kai Havertz and Chelsea dashing City’s dream in Porto, but this season Pep Guardiola’s side look destined to go one better, improving as the season has gone on and looking – in Jack Grealish’s own words – “unstoppable”.
Guardiola bristled at that claim, admitting every team can be stopped, but heading into the final straight they are odds-on with the bookmakers to win the treble, an achievement that could be completed in Istanbul.
When is the Champions League final?
The Champions League final takes place on Saturday 10 June at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, the stage of Liverpool’s comeback against AC Milan in 2005.
There had been doubts Turkey would remain hosts for the final amid presidential elections in the country, but Uefa said in a statement on 12 May that it would be played in Istanbul as scheduled.
The match kicks off at 8pm BST.
Is the Champions League final on YouTube?
The Champions League final between Inter and Manchester City will be shown live on BT Sport in the UK.
And once more, BT Sport will stream the Champions League final for free on their YouTube channel, as they have done since first broadcasting the competition in 2015-16.
BT Sport’s YouTube channel is here, while the match will also be live streamed on the BT Sport app.
Champions League final odds
Manchester City are currently around 1-4 with the bookmakers to win the Champions League, with Inter out at 7-2.
Inter last won the competition in 2010, when they won the treble under Jose Mourinho, and reached this year’s final by beating city rivals AC Milan in the semis.
With European pedigree – a total of three European Cups (1964, 1965, 2010) and three Uefa Cup wins in the 1990s (1991, 1994, 1998) – Inter will not be underestimated by Guardiola, who responded to Grealish’s “we feel unstoppable” claim by saying: “I don’t like that, no. Every team is stoppable if you do what you have to do.
“It’s nice the players feel that, but football can change from one game to another. You have to stay calm.”
Guardiola will also be wary of their only previous Champions League final to date, with City favourites heading into the 2021 showdown with Chelsea before losing 1-0.
On that occasion, Guardiola was accused of over-thinking on the greatest stage of them all, with a questionable team selection, flat performance and one shot on target helping Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea win in Portugal.
On 10 June, Guardiola will be out to make amends and banish those over-thinking accusations once and for all.
He arguably did so against Real Madrid, in what was a near-flawless performance, but he will know how important a first Champions League title with City is for his legacy, especially as he has not won the competition since 2011 with Barcelona.
The odds would suggest he is just 90 minutes away from correcting that.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/yVShWLf
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