How Man City should line up vs Inter Milan in Champions League amid Arsenal conundrum

Manchester City kick off their Champions League campaign tonight with a repeat of the historic 2023 final.

Inter Milan are in town 16 months on from City's 1-0 win in Istanbul that secured an incredible treble. The Blues defence of that trophy ended at the hands of Real Madrid last season but Pep Guardiola and Co will have eyes on regaining the prize this time around.

Wednesday's clash with the Italian champions is the first of eight group games in the new look Champions League with the top eight sides booking a straight passage into the last 16, the bottom eight being knocked out and the middle 16 entering a two-legged play-off.

ALSO READ: 'No other option' - Rodri expects drastic action from Man City stars

ALSO READ: Guardiola makes Erling Haaland joke with Real Madrid record in sight

City will be confident of progressing straight through but will hope for a winning start in what is one of their trickiest group games. Guardiola opted to leave some players out of the weekend win over Brentford with Rodri and Josko Gvardiol coming off the bench at the break to help City defeat the Bees. Both can expect to return to the team on Wednesday.

Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva were late replacements on Saturday and will likely start against Inter and while Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku were unused subs at the weekend, it might be that Jack Grealish retains his spot in the side and Foden has to make do with a place on the bench again. With City welcoming Arsenal to the Etihad for a crunch Premier League clash on Sunday, minutes will be managed.

Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland will surely start with Ruben Dias potentially coming back into the defence alongside Manuel Akanji, Gvardiol and Kyle Walker with Ederson in goal.