In an effort to extend their lead in the Premier League, Manchester City will take on Inter Milan in Istanbul.
Mario Balotelli thinks Inter Milan’s position as the underdog against Manchester City in the Champions League final may work in their favor.
On June 10, Balotelli’s two previous teams will square off in Istanbul, with City being heavy favorites to win the title for the first time ever. Since the beginning of the year, Pep Guardiola’s team has been unstoppable, catching up to and eventually surpassing Arsenal in the Premier League while easily defeating RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid in Europe.
Inter, led by Simone Inzaghi, won’t be taken lightly though; they have a lot of European experience and have recently had a great run of their own. The Serie A powerhouses have won nine of their previous ten games and dominated AC Milan over two legs in the semifinals.
Inter has many players that may make a difference, according to Balotelli, who was speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport. “Let’s start with my dear friend Edin Dzeko, but don’t forget about [Romelu] Lukaku and the incredible Lautaro [Martinez]. His second goal against Fiorentina was amazing.
Experience has taught me that it is preferable to enter a championship game as the underdog. And while Guardiola’s team plays a visually appealing kind of football, Inzaghi’s team is also productive.
Guardiola has only taken City to the final once, where they were defeated 1-0 by Chelsea in 2021. This time, though, the Blues manager will have Erling Haaland at his disposal. The Norwegian has scored 12 goals in 10 appearances in the Champions League this year, and Balotelli considers him to be among the finest in the world.
Erling is exceptional, the Italian continued. “The statistics show that he is the best striker in the world, but for me, it’s a matter of taste.
“Osimhen, for instance, is unique. He does every task on the field, and although he is special in his own right, he somewhat makes me think of myself back in my prime
.
