Guardiola says Man City ready to banish memory of 2021 Champions League final

ISTANBUL: Pep Guardiola insisted Friday his Manchester City side are primed to put their defeat in the 2021 Champions League final behind them for good as they seek to win the trophy when they take on Inter Milan in Istanbul on Saturday. City were beaten 1-0 by Chelsea in Porto in the club’s only previous appearance to date in the final of Europe’s elite club competition.

Guardiola came in for criticism then for tinkering with what had been a winning team, as he surprisingly omitted captain Fernandinho and Rodrigo from the base of his midfield. “I am pretty sure that two years ago what we planned, what we had in mind, was to have success against Chelsea.

It didn’t work and that is why all the people said the decision was wrong,” Guardiola said on Friday just before his team trained on the pitch at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium. “Tomorrow will be the same, have a plan, have an idea and communicate to the players.

We are ready.” That match also ended bitterly for Kevin De Bruyne, as City’s Belgian playmaker came off in tears after being taken out in a collision with Chelsea defender Antonio Ruediger. “We were not good enough on the day and you have to accept it,” De Bruyne said on Friday.

“Luckily we have another chance, another opportunity to prove we can win this competition.” City are looking to complete a remarkable treble by winning the Champions League for the first time in their history, after retaining the Premier League title and then beating Manchester United 2-1 in last weekend’s FA Cup final thanks to two Ilkay Gundogan goals. They are the overwhelming favorites to complete the job against Inter, having seen off RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, all in comprehensive fashion, in this season’s knockout