Inter on their day can restrict them but City are huge favourites. They were against Chelsea the other year as well though. There’s nothing guaranteed. There’s been at least one English team in the champions league final in five of the last six now, seven of the last twelve finalists. Two winners in the previous five matches - I’d hope it will be three after this year’s final.
Huge favourites in the final. That cam bring its own pressures. Still be great to see Stonesy with the Trophy.
It's an interesting one, because if Inter play in any way remotely like Spurs do over the last few years, they genuinely do have a chance. For some reason Spurs probably have the best record against them when Pep's in charge. Spurs have won 5 out of their last 8 against City. Could just also easily run into the same problems Real Madrid did today, very technically brilliant midfield, but very slow. If they can't hold onto possession for more than 3 seconds they'll have no chance.
Went to the game tonight and for a semi final of the biggest euro cup game prior to the final it was like watching them play an amateur side. Madrid had one real shot that hit the bar and a couple of half chances in the 2nd half but City made them look distinctly average.
This Man City side for me are in the conversation for the best team of all time. And a Barnsley lad is a major part of it. Not bad, is it.
I just hope Pep doesn’t decide it would be a good idea to make some silly changes to the side like he did against Chelsea.
I think that's abit overblown, bordering on myth. Had Zinchenko not made a mistake, as he has been doing a lot recently for Arsenal, I reckon City would have won that. Hes always tinkered and rotated, 99% of time it works perfectly - he won't stop doing that after all the success. Hope its a cracking game though!
No it’s not. If he had started with Cancelo on the left of defence then Zinchenko would’ve have been on the pitch to make a mistake. Foden starting ahead of Rodri? What was that all about? Mahrez up front with both Jesus and Agüero sat on the bench? My opinion at the time was that Pep let the stress of the occasion get to him, but what ever it was he definitely shot himself in the foot.
He seems to have settled with his champions league team of late. Only enforced change being Ake replaced by Walker. I think unless forced by injury that team that started last night plays in the final.
It's great to watch in isolation, but it's everything that's wrong with modern football. A club that's broken hundreds of financial rules, yet continues to be able to carry on as though nothing is wrong.
The trouble with this argument is that every other club with half a sniff of winning the champions league have spent their way to the top over many decades. Yes city have spent vast sums. Probably breaking less rules in the last few years to be fair, but certainly did a lot of underhand stuff to catch up. Not saying it’s necessarily right but spending money in football to get success isn’t new. Liverpool hoovered up players in the eighties, Man Utd have always spent a hell of a lot. Real, Barcelona, even Juve, to a lesser extent Bayern etc have spent ridiculous amounts for decades. Real and Barca struggling recently due to actually having some rules imparted domestically. It’s not modern football. It’s football. When Swindon got promoted 30 years ago. When we did in 97, it was against the odds then. Nothing much has changed. Luton or Coventry going up will equate to much the same. Odd teams will have one off success to go against the grain slightly. Leicester didn’t spend billions to win the premier league. Portsmouth won the cup, Porto spent but on a lower scale when winning the champions league 20 years ago or whatever it was. But generally the prizes go to the heaviest hitters. I’d also add that city’s net spend over the last five years is about £70million less than Man Utd, and Arsenal aren’t far behind either (Pepe, Aubameyang and Lacazzette cost a total of £180million before you think of anyone else). Two of those left for free and one is on loan at Nice. City’s success of course wouldn’t have happened without a huge spend, but it isn’t just money that make them this good. PSG wouldn’t lay a glove on them and they’ve spent every bit as much, Real’s wage bill is said to be about £100million more per year than city - city’s wage bill only being the third highest in England and less than half PSGs (according to Planet Football numbers).
Got to agree with this them and psg got a 5 year ban for breaching financial fair play got it over turned and lessened to a big fine. There been investigated by the f.a for breaching financial fair play. I used to like City when they played at mine road and were a proper football club. Now I hate everything there about hope Milan hammer them but can't see it.
Isn't one of the issues with City that they’re allegedly fiddling the wages? They get an official wage through the books but players & management are supposed to have been taking additional payments over the years. For example you can pay De Bruyne £200,000 a week through the books but then he gets several million for ‘advertising’ Etihad airways to boost up his salary. Other clubs may have overspent at times but I don’t think I can remember another English club so blatantly breaking the rules.
I also went, absolutely incredible to watch live. Completely different to watching them on TV. The calmness on the ball, the interchanging positions, the speed of passing, the runs off the ball, the speed they win the ball back - all of it frightening. Like you say, Real barely got a kick and never looked remotely like having a chance. If they'd have got one back, maybe City nerves might have kicked in. But to be honest, City were in perhaps 4th gear out of 6? Certainly weren't at absolutely full throttle.
Amazing to watch how easy they make it look isn’t it. One thing I love is that stones is a centre half but plays that role so well of a hybrid midfielder/defender. Bernardo Silva is one of the most underrated players I’ve ever seen too looks tiny but absolutely immense on the ball. I’ve been to every champions league game since the Seville one so that’s my champions league journey finished now unless Barnsley get there again one day.
