City on the brink of greatness

City on the brink of greatness

With Saturday’s TAB Soccer 10 pool expected to top R2-million, many bettors will bank on Manchester City to clinch the UEFA Champions League title against Inter Millan – their biggest obstacle seemingly only the burden of expectation.

By Mark Gleeson

Few pundits are giving Inter Milan any chance tomorrow in the Champions League final.

However, the enormous burden of expectation that sits on Manchester City’s shoulders must not be underestimated - not only as they chase the Treble, but as they look to make up for years of disappointment in the competition where they have crashed out despite being favourites.

Pep Guardiola’s side are patently the best team in European football and have been so for some time, but this is only their second final after losing to Chelsea in Porto two years ago. Considering that this is their twelfth successive Champions League campaign since the 2011/12 season, one cannot help but think it’s now or never for City.

Having swept away all before them in the previous rounds, including the impressive thumping of both Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, they must now conclude the job against an Italian side who are much weaker personnel-wise but will be looking to upstage their rich rivals.

Inter, who finished third in Serie A, did have a much more favourable draw through the last knockout rounds to get to the final, but they will not be overawed and are also well aware of the pressure that City are under.

This might turn out to be one of the more one-sided finals in years but do not count out the underdog.

Victory would take Inter on to four European Cups, level with Ajax Amsterdam and behind only Real Madrid (14), AC Milan (seven), Bayern, Liverpool (both six) and Barcelona (five). They are currently on three alongside City’s local rivals Manchester United.

City could become the 23rd side to win the European Cup, and the first new name on the trophy since Chelsea’s 2012 triumph.

English clubs have recorded 14 European Cup triumphs in 25 final appearances, with six wins and nine defeats since the start of the UEFA Champions League era.

Five of the last six UEFA Champions League finals have also seen Premier League representation.

Sunday’s African Champions League final second leg, where holders Wydad Casablanca must come from behind if they are to hold on to their crown against Egyptian giants Al Ahly, is expected to be a much tighter affair.

Bafana striker Percy Tau was among the scorers as Al Ahly won the first leg of the final in Cairo last Sunday but they gave up a late goal and ended up winning 2-1.

That means that Wydad need only win 1-0 in the return match at home to take the crown.