"Maybe I'll Retire At 30": Manchester City Star On Intense New Champions League Format

Manchester City are braced for their Champions League reunion with Inter Milan at the start of an expanded tournament that will be "so tough" for the 2023 winners. Pep Guardiola's side beat Inter 1-0 in the final two seasons ago as Rodri's goal clinched their first Champions League crown on a memorable night in Istanbul. Inter visit the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday in City's first experience of the competition's new format, in which 36 teams compete in one table and play eight fixtures each instead of the traditional group stage with six matches.

City defender Manuel Akanji is not a fan of the new model because of the extra burden it will place on players in a gruelling season which will conclude with Guardiola's men competing in the Club World Cup in the United States.

"It's getting more complicated with the league. You play different teams, and then Inter don't have the same opponents as us. It's just got bigger, more games," Akanji said.

"Then we have the Club World Cup at the end of the season. It's just game after game and I don't know how it will work out over the next couple of years.

"It's so tough, you don't just think about this season but also next season. When do we do holidays? There are no breaks in winter.

"If we are lucky we get two weeks and then we need to be back and into next season. There's no end to it. I don't know how it works out. Maybe I'll retire at 30!"

Despite his complaints, the 29-year-old Akanji is relishing the chance to face Inter again after that treble-winning triumph 15 months ago.

It was a cathartic victory for City after a series of crushing Champions League disappointments during the Guardiola era, including a 2021 final loss to Chelsea.

City had to dig deep before Rodri finally