Kevin De Bruyne admits Manchester City have a ‘chance to close a chapter’ on their Champions League dream, as Pep Guardiola says his side are ‘ready’ but don’t underestimate Inter Milan
- Kevin De Bruyne says his team has a chance to ‘close a chapter’ tomorrow night
- Man City landed in Istanbul ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League final
- Today Pep Guardiola also admitted he ‘feels we are ready’
Manchester City are in Istanbul ready to confront their Champions League obsession and complete a historic treble on Saturday.
Kevin De Bruyne claimed last night that finally lifting Europe’s biggest prize was both a dream and an obsession for the club, with Pep Guardiola believing his players were set to make history.
Simone Inzaghi’s Inter stand ahead of City in Turkey as Guardiola’s side look to do better than they did two years ago when they were beaten in the final.
“To achieve things, you have to have the right amount of obsession and desire,” Guardiola said. “Obsession is a positive word. I have the feeling that we are ready. It is absolutely a dream.
“We know how important it is. You have to be stable in the final. Inter are bigger than us in terms of history, but what’s important is to put in the best performance possible and that can make the difference.
Kevin De Bruyne says Man City have ‘the chance to close a chapter if they win the Champions League final tomorrow night’
His team trained inside Ataturk Stadium today after landing in Istanbul yesterday.
De Bruyne admitted his side ‘need to find a way to win the inaugural Champions League’ after heartbreak of losing the final to Chelsea in 2021
De Bruyne was asked if the desire to win the Champions League could be described as ‘a dream or an obsession’ and replied: ‘Maybe both. I have been here a long time. For me, these eight years have been incredible.
“But we didn’t win this contest. That’s the only little reminder people can give us. We have been consistent but we have to find a way to win first. If we do, it will be huge for the players and the club. We have a chance to close this [chapter] if we are good enough.
Already Premier League and FA Cup winners, City will also emulate Manchester United’s famous Treble side in 1999 and go down in the record books.
They are the overwhelming favorites to lift the title, but defender Ruben Dias has warned against complacency. “People can say what they want, but there are no favorites in this game,” he said.
Pep Guardiola (full-back) also spoke ahead of the game and believes his side are ‘ready’ for tomorrow’s game
De Bruyne (left) also admitted he had spent ‘an incredible eight years at the club’ before the game.
City appear to have been in a positive mood as they trained inside the stadium earlier today
Guardiola (middle) was also seen stuck in his training session at the stadium
Man City’s FA Cup-winning captain Ilkay Gundogan (middle) was seen dribbling around his teammates during the session
During the press conference, Pep Guardiola also said he had ‘no doubts’ about Erling Haaland’s goalscoring abilities after scoring once in seven games.
Man City gathered around the center circle of the Ataturk Stadium as they prepare for tomorrow’s final
‘When the decision [time] comes this is the sweet spot for us. You can see the character of the team in these stages, whether they want to push forward or start hiding.
“We showed up every time and Saturday will be no different. We like the pressure.
City fans regularly mock the Champions League anthem, but Guardiola echoed Ilkay Gundogan’s pleas for the traveling support to use the occasion.
“It’s a day of celebration,” Guardiola said. “Celebrate being here. What happened in the past happened in the past. It’s an incredible competition. We are here to support what UEFA is doing and we are not going to boo anymore. Try to have fun.
