Paul Ince has no doubts that Inter can beat Manchester City in the Champions League final and explained why they should start Romelu Lukaku in Istanbul.
The Nerazzurri booked their spot in the final after securing a 3-0 aggregate win over intercity rivals Milan in the semi-finals, an impressive showing. Their opponents Manchester City looked even more dominant in their semi-final outing, thrashing Real Madrid 5-1 on aggregate to take them to Istanbul.
The odds are seemingly stacked against Simone Inzaghi and Inter, but the Nerazzurri have shown their ability to rise to the occasion and they’ll be confident of their chances ahead of the decisive clash on June 10.
Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Ince was first asked if he was surprised to see Inter in the Champions League final.
“If you think about the group with Barcelona and Bayern, yes, it can be a pleasant surprise, but the next game is elite and should not surprise anyone.
“I know what a derby in Milan means, it’s the most heartfelt and vibrant match I’ve ever played, let alone this time it being a Champions League semi-final.
“How I would have loved to be on the pitch, to hear people call me ‘governor’! Inter went through that battle at the San Siro and are deservedly in Istanbul.”
He touched on the Nerazzurri’s chances against Manchester City.
“It’s football this, eh… What you think before can be overturned afterwards. An individual mistake, a ball bouncing this way or that, someone’s bad day, a VAR decision, when I say anything can happen, I mean it…
“The Inter fans, to whom I’ll always be linked, must believe it, but I’m sure the players already do. They must be one, one team as I like it. And they are, you can see it right away…”
The former midfielder explained why he’s confident of Inter’s capabilities.
“From the fact that against stronger rivals Inter played their best games. That’s it, in this final everyone has to be at their best level for 100 minutes and then it will be fun.”
Ince spoke about some of the weaknesses of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
“The aggression they bring is suffocating, they always want to control the ball, but behind the centre-backs there is space. That’s where you can attack at speed.
“That’s why, at least for me, Lukaku should play from the start rather than Dzeko. Edin is a fantastic player, very good with the ball, but he doesn’t have the same pace in the open pitch, for City he would be easier to stop.”
He was asked if there were any players similar to him in the Inter squad and who could be the difference maker in Istanbul.
“We have different physiques, but I really like Barella’s grit, you can see he is unselfish. He’ll have rivals like Gundogan, Rodri and De Bruyne in his area, but with Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan and Brozovic he can win the midfield battle.
“Whoever wins there commands the match. Of course, if you even think about Haaland, you risk a headache, but by defending as a team you can at least limit him.”
The 55-year-old touched on what it means to see three Italian teams in European finals this season.
“That Italian football ‘is back’, it is not a slogan and, by winning the Champions League, Inter could lead the recovery even more.
“Even if the Premier League is now the top from an economic point of view, the Italians still know how to compete like nobody else. And Guardiola knows that…”
Finally, Ince discussed what he’d say to the Inter squad ahead of the final if he was in the dressing room.
“More or less this: ‘The road has been long, we have left blood and tears along the ground, we have not fought in vain, now let’s take the trophy to Milan’. Gives you enough charge, doesn’t it?”