As we approach the 2023 Champions League final, Internazionale will be hopeful that they can beat Manchester City in Istanbul for their first piece of European silverware in 13 years. You’d have to go back to Jose Mourinho’s experienced class of 2010 for the last time Inter featured in a Champions League final but after beating Milan over two legs in the Derby della Madonnina, they visit the home of their city rivals’ biggest capitulation, looking to rub further salt in the wounds by beating Pep Guardiola’s side.
When it comes to the Man City vs Inter odds the Premier League champions are the obvious favourites in the final. Despite their loss to Chelsea back in 2021, it looks as if this will be the moment the Sky Blues finally get their hands on a maiden European crown. It’s been years in the making and the squad has had significant investment, but on the back of three consecutive Premier League titles, it’s hard to look past Erling Haaland and co, who have so much firepower in the final third, and demonstrated against Real Madrid they can do the dirty work defensively too.
However, this doesn’t mean Inter should lose faith. The Nerazzurri were considered underdogs with Mourinho in 2010 and current manager Simone Inzaghi has insisted his team have a shout when the two teams meet on June 10.
“It’s a dream come true, a dream that we’ve shared and grown together since the draw, because we had to believe, nobody gave us anything,” Inzaghi said. “Tomorrow we’ll realise what we’ve achieved, but this was a magic night with our fans and our families. We couldn’t ask for more.”
Inzaghi will need his key players to step up on the night if he wants to get anything against City. To beat Guardiola’s side is to not just catch them on an off day but to also play your own game to the best of your abilities. Let’s take a look at three of Inter’s crucial players in the 2023 Champions League final.
Andre Onana
After coming back from his ban from football and leaving Ajax last summer, Andre Onana reminded us all what we missed this season as he’s made the first-choice spot his own, replacing Inter captain Samir Handanović, who will retire as soon as the full-time whistle blows. Milan Škriniar leaving the club meant he fell out with Inzaghi and replaced with former Manchester United defender Matteo Darmian, so Onana has done well to adapt to a new-look back three that will want to keep the likes of Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva at bay. Expect the Cameroonian to be forced into several big saves throughout the tie.
Nicolo Barella
It’s easy to see why so many clubs are interested in Nicolo Barella after his performances in the Champions League this season. The Italian is calmness personified in the middle of the park for Inter and will be the key to linking attack to defence as they look to transition and counter as quickly as possible. The likes of Liverpool and Real Madrid have shown interest in the 26-year-old, who has been at Inter since 2019 and showed real class throughout the last couple of seasons.
Lautaro Martinez
Inter’s strike force have been perennial to their success in Europe this season, and the mainstay has been Lautaro Martinez, who has become the main man for Inzaghi since the turn of the year. A World Cup winner with Argentina, that newfound confidence has inspired him to 23 goals in all competitions this season and his partnerships with both Romelu Lukaku and Edin Dzeko, who is likely to start against his old team, gives Inter that chemistry in the final third that is key to unlocking City’s defence.