THE SHARPE END: Inter Milan need to follow the Brentford blueprint

THE SHARPE END: Target shaky set-plays, runs from midfield and counter attacks… Inter Milan need to follow the Brentford blueprint to destroy Pep Guardiola’s dream

  • Inter Milan will have the difficult task of stopping the unstoppable Man City 
  • Despite City’s greatness, there have been times where they’ve been bested 
  • If Inter want to have the best result, they should follow the Brentford blueprint 

Inter Milan don’t stand a chance, right? The bookies don’t give the Italian side much of a shot and neither do the pundits. 

Manchester City, by most accounts, are on course for their first Champions League crown and a historic treble.

As Inter boss Simone Inzaghi put it, anything can happen in football. City have blown it on the big stage before. 

And if Inter follow the lead of another Premier League club, they just might pull off the impossible.

TWO UP TOP AND COUNTER 

Man City failed to win only two of their 31 games at the Etihad Stadium this season: a 2-1 defeat by Brentford and a 1-1 draw with Everton.

Inter Milan will be tasked with stopping Manchester City in the Champions League final

If the Italian side want to succeed, they should follow the blueprints of Brentford

Those games had something in common: Brentford and Everton both played with two strikers. Inter Milan are one of the few teams in Europe who play with two up top and it could cause Pep Guardiola headaches.

Brentford played the same 3-5-2 formation as Inter twice against City and did the double over the Premier League champions.

Edin Dzeko or Romelu Lukaku will partner Lautaro Martinez to lead the line for Inzaghi’s side.

City will dominate possession in Guardiola’s favoured 3-2-2-3 system that sees John Stones move into midfield but Inter’s wing-backs can exploit space in the channels on the counter-attack, while the two strikers isolate the centre-backs.

Brentford did this well in their win at the Etihad.

BARELLA’S RUNS FROM MIDFIELD 

Nicolo Barella is Inter’s second-highest scorer in the Champions League this season with three goals. Key are his runs from midfield on the back of superb hold-up play from Inter’s target men Dzeko or Lukaku, shown in Barella’s goal against Benfica in the quarter-finals. 

MARTINEZ TO STOP RODRI 

Lautaro Martinez is Inter’s top scorer but it’s his work off the ball that could win them the trophy.

Inter must stop Rodri. The midfielder has made the most passes in the Champions League this season and will dictate the tempo of City’s game.

Martinez is one of the hardest-working strikers in Europe and his pressing up front will be key to keeping Rodri off the ball.

Lautaro Martinez could play a key role in shackling City’s Rodri during the clash

TARGET SHAKY CITY AT SET-PLAYS 

Inter can make use of their height at set-plays with Dzeko, Lukaku and Francesco Acerbi all over 6ft 3in.

City have conceded only five goals in the entire Champions League campaign but four of them have come from set-pieces — the highest percentage in the competition by some distance.

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