Inter will face Manchester City in the Champions League Final in the debut meeting between the clubs, as the Nerazzurri go for their fourth edition of the trophy and the English side seek their first, while Noel Gallagher gets his wish.
When the draw was made and the semi-finals scheduled, Oasis singer and songwriter Gallagher told Sky Sport Italia he hoped his beloved Manchester City would get to play Inter in the Final “because they’re not very good.”
Pep Guardiola’s side swept Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid aside 4-0 in the semi-final this evening, having drawn the first leg 1-1 at the Bernabeu, with a Bernardo Silva brace and Eder Militao own goal.
The Final will be played in Istanbul on June 10.
It will be the first time these two clubs have ever crossed paths at a competitive level, but generally speaking Inter’s record against English teams is 16 victories, six draws and 18 defeats.
Inter have won the European Cup twice in 1964 and 1965, then lifting the Champions League trophy under Jose Mourinho in 2010.
While Manchester City shattered spending records and dominated the Premier League, on the verge of a third consecutive title, they have never been able to win the Champions League.
The closest they came was losing the Final in 2021 to Chelsea.
City’s record against Italian opponents is of six victories, six draws and four defeats.
Guardiola is certainly no stranger to Serie A, having played there for Brescia and Roma from 2001 to 2003.
He speaks fluent Italian and regularly comes back to the Peninsula on vacation with his family, where he likes to catch up with old friends and fellow tacticians.
While the coach won this trophy twice with Barcelona in 2009 and 2011, that run was interrupted by Inter in 2010, who beat his Blaugrana in the semi-final.
Guardiola has not won the Champions League since 2011, only one year after Inter’s last success.