City’s title to lose

The burden of their own expectations might come back to bite them, again, but considering Manchester City's evolution this season, despite the obstacles en route, it remains highly improbable.

City are only one step away from being the second English and the eighth European team in history to complete the prestigious continental treble. Tonight, in Istanbul, City will be up against Inter Milan -- "the best Italian team at present," according to Zlatan Ibrahimovich -- in the Champions League final.

Inter have won the Champions League three times and have a richer history. However, with all due respect to the Nerazzurri, City have ticked all the boxes so far to be considered the hot-favourites to become maiden champions.

City were favourites in the 2021 final too, against an opponent with similar playing style. Against Chelsea in that game, Pep Guardiola had some doubts about his starting lineup because City had lost two games to Chelsea before the Champions League final. This time though, he has acknowledged that the atmosphere at City is different.

City of the old lacked a Plan B when the going went tough. The worry among the City fans that Guardiola would tinker more than necessary in pressure matches. His squad had remained formidable as ever, but this time the starting eleven has the necessary characteristics to find solutions when cornered.

Before the second leg of the Champions League semifinal match against Real Madrid, the City coach joked that he wouldn't "overthink." Then, with the same starting lineup as the first leg, Guardiola's marauding team eliminated the defending champions with a 4-0 thumping at home. No less impressive was how City clawed back in the first leg to score the equaliser, at a time when Madrid were dictating tempo. 

Two players have seemed like the missing piece in a puzzle. The addition of Erling Haaland has given City's offense an unprecedented direct path to attack. Even better than his goal-scoring prowess is Haaland's presence, the Norwegian's unselfish nature -- as seen with his off-the-ball movements while he keeps bullying his markers.

Despite Haaland being someone who would not be categorised as Guardiola-esque No 9, the 22-year-old is the leading scorer in this season's Champions League, and it is frightening to think that he might have underachieved even after tallying 52 goals and nine assists across all competitions so far.

He is the obvious threat and his opponents cannot go overboard in marking him, as it would work in favour of Bernardo Silva, Jack Grealish, Kevin De Bruyne and especially Gundogan, who has been in stellar goal-scoring form since April.

The emergence of Stones and his superior chemistry with Rodri at the base of midfield makes it hard for opponents to pressurize the central defenders and goalkeeper in possession. Moreover, the likes of Gundogan and De Bruyne have acquired the luxury to creatively initiate attacks from the spine, freed from the need to fall deeper, and thus they have managed to establish a formidable combination of numerical and positional superiority for long stretches in a match.

Having wrapped up the league title earlier than anticipated, City have been able to keep their players fresh, and injury-free, before the biggest test of the season.

One factor that could work against City's favour is their desperation to win the coveted title as their season could still be termed a disappointment despite a league double. Inter, on the other hand, could frustrate City by slowing the game down, being difficult to break down, deploying a deep, compact, defensive low-block, capitalise on set pieces. Tactically, Inter coach Simone Inzaghi has been superb in the Champions League this season and he has the blueprint to defeat at least the City of 2021.

For now, the English Premier League champions appear to have one hand on the trophy that has long eluded Guardiola's side, a trophy more likely to be lost by them than won by their opponent.