With the Champions League Final just hours away, Michael Ballack has selected two Manchester City players who will play a key role in winning the match.
Throughout the season, the English side have looked nothing short of sensational. Playing beautifully under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola, they’ve already done the double, with the prospect of completing a historic treble looking increasingly likely.
But despite their form and the heroics of Norwegian phenom, Erling Haaland, their Italian opponents certainly haven’t come to lie down.
Having just beaten rivals AC Milan, Inter have all the momentum in the world to pull off the upset. And while Ballack still thinks the fixture is the Premier League club’s to lose, he certainly isn’t writing off the 3X Champions.
Speaking to My Betting Sites, he said: “Logically, Man City are the heavy favourites. They are playing outstanding football at the moment. Many players are in absolute top form.
“But Inter have mentally strong players in their ranks. At the beginning of the season, this team was not necessarily on the cards. I saw them in the group stage against Bayern Munich, and they weren’t ready then like they are today. I didn’t think they would be in the final now.“
He added: “City have world-class players in every position. This team is well-rehearsed; the movements are intertwined.
“Inter are well organised, they are defensively solid, and they don’t concede much. They are having a great second half of the season.“
However, despite the Italian club’s formidable backline, the German thinks that City have two secret weapons.
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Michael Ballack explains how Manchester City will beat Inter Milan
In an honest assessment, the 46-year-old said: “For me, Kevin De Bruyne is definitely a difference maker.
“In addition, I see John Stones interpreting his role in a very variable way: From a back four without the ball, he moves into defensive midfield with the ball. There he has developed into a key player, especially with the way he progresses play.“
He continued: “At Inter, I see Lautaro Martinez up front, who is also virtually unstoppable at the moment. When it counts, he scores.“
The Champions League final kicks off at 8 PM on BT Sport.
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