Champions League Final Tips & Predictions
Champions League Final Tips
It all comes down to one night in Istanbul for Manchester City, who take on Inter Milan in Saturday's Champions League final.
The Ataturk Olympic Stadium is the venue for the final of the biggest prize in European football, and City are hot favorites to be crowned kings of the continent for the first time and complete a trophy treble in the process.
Inter were last crowned champions of Europe in 2010 but history could count for little in Istanbul judged by the match betting.
City are 2/5 to win the final in 90 minutes and Pep Guardiola’s men are just 1/6 to lift the trophy on Saturday night.
Here are the best bets for what should be a fantastic occasion in the Turkish capital.
Tip 1 - Under 2.5 goals @ 11/10
It’s clear that Manchester City are a better side than Inter, but are the Citizens superior enough to warrant being 2/5 shots to win inside 90 minutes in Istanbul? The answer is perhaps not.
City have come close to conquering Europe before without getting over the line - they lost the 2021 Champions League final to Premier League rivals Chelsea - and will have to deal with the pressure of being favourites on Saturday.
The Manchester side have plenty of strong characters in their side, but attempting to break new ground in a one-off game at a neutral venue is not a straightforward task and Inter may also be a little better than the prices anticipate.
The Nerazzurri finished well off the pace in Serie A this season, ending the season in third but 18 points adrift of champions Napoli.
However, their poor domestic showing was mainly down to a sluggish start that saw Inter win only four of their opening eight league matches. And once Napoli had disappeared into the distance, cup competitions became the focus of Inter's attention.
There’s no doubt that Inter improved in the final third of the season. They won 11 of their last 12 matches with their only defeat in that time coming at the hands of the Serie A champions in Naples.
The Nerazzurri have kept seven clean sheets in their last 12 games and their competitiveness is likely to revolve around a solid defence, making under 2.5 goals in Istanbul a value wager at 11/10
Tip 2 - Jack Grealish over 0.5 shots on target @ 7/10
Whichever way you look at Saturday's final it is reasonable to expect that City will have the bulk of possession.
Inter boss Inzaghi will be desperate to limit the space behind his backline in the knowledge that Erling Haaland will gobble up any opportunity he has to exploit gaps in the Nerazzurri rearguard.
Inter are likely to set up with a deep defensive line in a bid to frustrate City and that could lead to the Citizens shooting from range more often.
Jack Grealish recorded 41 shots in 23 Premier League starts this term, 15 of which hit the target, and at 7/10 the England international looks worth an interest to have at least one shot on target.
Tip 3 - Draw at half-time @ 7/5
There could also be a small bit of value in backing the game to be level at half-time.
City’s class may perhaps tell in the latter stages but Inter may have enough to keep the Citizens locked down until the second half.
