Matchday 1 of the 2024/25 Champions League is arguably highlighted by Wednesday night’s clash between Manchester City and Inter at the Etihad.
In a repeat of the 2023 final in Istanbul, the Premier League champions face the Scudetto holders in a seismic early-season clash in the all-new league phase.
Pep Guardiola’s Cityzens have started the fresh campaign in fine form, but they have leaked goals in recent weeks. Still, City sit atop the Premier League having won their opening four games.
Inter already have a couple of blemishes on their domestic record in 2024/25, and they were forced to come from behind late on at Monza on Sunday. Denzel Dumfries rescued a point for the champions, who were also held by Genoa on Matchday 1. However, a 4-0 victory over Atalanta before the September break was a reminder of just how potent Simone Inzaghi’s side can be.
Here’s 90min’s preview of Wednesday’s blockbuster Champions League fixture.
Man City vs Inter H2H Record (All Games)
Current form (all competitions)
|
Man City |
Inter |
|---|---|
|
Man City 2-1 Brentford – 14/09/24 |
Monza 1-1 Inter – 15/09/24 |
|
West Ham 1-3 Man City – 31/08/24 |
Inter 4-0 Atalanta – 30/08/24 |
|
Man City 4-1 Ipswich Town – 24/08/24 |
Inter 2-0 Lecce – 24/08/24 |
|
Chelsea 0-2 Man City – 18/08/24 |
Genoa 2-2 Inter – 17/08/24 |
|
Man City 1-1 (7-6p) Man Utd – 10/08/24 |
Chelsea 1-1 Inter – 11/08/24 |
|
Country |
TV channel/live stream |
|---|---|
|
United Kingdom |
discovery+, discovery+ App, TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate |
|
United States |
Paramount+, fuboTV, TUDN.com, Univision NOW, TUDN App, ViX, TUDN USA, UniMás |
|
Canada |
DAZN |
Nathan Ake has been ruled out until after the October international break with a muscle injury sustained while playing for the Netherlands last week.
The Dutch defender joins Oscar Bobb on the sidelines, with the Norwegian international not expected to be in contention until 2025.
Rodri is in line to make his first start of the season on Wednesday, while Phil Foden could come back into the side after failing to feature at the weekend. Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias are others pushing for starts, but Guardiola will also have one eye on Sunday’s clash against Arsenal.
Man City predicted lineup vs Inter (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Walker, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol; Rodri, Kovacic; Bernardo, Foden, Doku; Haaland.
There are some concerns over the status of star wing-back Federico Dimarco, who’s been dealing with muscle fatigue in the wake of Inter’s 1-1 draw against Monza.
Not only could the Italian international miss Wednesday’s game in Manchester, but Italian outlets believe Dimarco may also be struggling to be fit in time for Sunday’s Derby della Madonnina.
The Nerazzurri otherwise have few issues on the injury front. They will, however, be without Canadian international Tajon Buchanan.
Inzaghi rotated considerably in Monza at the weekend and we should see Nicolo Barella, Alessandro Bastoni, Benjamin Pavard, and Hakan Calhanoglu all come back into the Inter XI at the Etihad.
Inter predicted lineup vs Man City (3-5-2): Sommer; Pavard, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez.
Neither side are likely to be drastically different from their first and only meeting less than 18 months ago, with Inzaghi’s side causing City all sorts of problems in Istanbul before Rodri struck a second-half winner.
While the hosts have started the season rather imperiously, they have shown vulnerabilities to the counter-attack and when defending set-pieces. Those issues should be alleviated once Rodri is re-integrated, and he should make his first start of the season on Wednesday.
Rodri’s return will embolden the hosts, who also have the sport’s most potent weapon at their disposal. An excellent Inter defence has their work cut out if they’re to tame Erling Haaland, but Inzaghi’s meticulously drilled block and fluid positional rotations in possession hand Inter a chance of causing an upset.
It’ll be close and very competitive, with City perhaps having to work from behind to earn all three points.
