On a roll...
Both of these sides have loved the Champions League in recent times.
Manchester City just don't seem to lose in Europe, and you never feel like they will.
In fact, City are unbeaten in their last 23 games in the competition, winning 16 of those matches.
If they don't lose either of their first two matches in the competition this season, they will equal the longest unbeaten streak by a team in European Cup/UEFA Champions League history.
The record is currently held by their rivals Manchester United with 25 games. They will want to beat that, won't they?
Meanwhile, Inter's record is not too shabby either.
The Italian giants have only lost three of their last 20 Champions League matches, winning 11 of them.
However, they’ve only started one of their last nine campaigns with a win, last doing so in 2018 against Tottenham.
Rodri: 'These games are too much'
Rodri, Manchester City midfielder, speaking on Tuesday about striking:
I think we are close to that [striking]. It's easy to understand [why]. Ask any player and they'd say the same. If it keeps going this way it'll come to a moment where we have no other option. It is something that worries us.
I think it's too much. Someone has to take care of us, because we are the main characters of this sport, or business, or whatever you want to call it. Not everything is money or marketing, it is also the quality of the show.
Could footballers go on strike?
Yep, you read that right.
As you all probably know by now, there is a new format to this season's Champions League.
With the new group phase being a league table, and there being play-offs before the knockout stages, there will be more matches for each team.
It's fair to say, players are not best pleased at the fact they will have to lace their boots a few more times this campaign.
In the build-up to tonight's match, Manchester City's Rodri even suggested that elite players could even go on strike.
We have seen strikes in other sports, but it's pretty much unheard of in football, isn't it?
Do you think it is actually a possibility, and would they be right to do so?
Pardew at the Etihad...
Jack Gaughan, Mail Sport, at the Etihad Stadium:
Always a treat to see which random ex-pros are knocking around on a Champions League night doing punditry for various international broadcasters.
Other than the usual crowd (Laudrup, Schmeichel, the TNT lot), Fernando Llorente heads the list with Julio Cesar a close second. At least Cesar has a (long) history with Inter. Alan Pardew’s here as well. More as I get it.
That night in Istanbul
Nope, Liverpool fans, not that one...
The Reds are not the only English side to have won club football's grandest prize at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium.
On June 10 2023, Manchester City's long turbulent quest to get their hands on the Champions League trophy was finally completed.
You already know who they beat to do it, that's right, Inter Milan.
After a tense 68 minutes in Turkey, Rodri bent home a lovely low strike to finally secure 'Big Ears' for Pep Guardiola's side.
It also meant that they completed a historic treble after winning the Premier League and the FA Cup.
It was a night that no City fan will ever forget and I'm sure in pubs in and around Manchester, they will be talking about it right now.
I bet each and every person who is, will be doing so with a big smile.
Guardiola: 'Haaland feels good with no problems'
Pep Guardiola, Manchester City manager, speaking about Erling Haaland on Wednesday:
I played for 11 years as a professional and I scored 11 goals [for Barcelona]. This guy, in four games, has nine. He can equal that in one game. If you tell me that in the next 100 games, he will score 99 goals, for me it's fine. Don't improve, don't improve. If he scores 99 goals in the next 100 games, I'll be more than delighted.
I think with the experience of playing game after game, he will improve. It's difficult to improve if you don't play. He will be a better player, in a natural way. The difference to last season is that he feels better. He came from Dortmund with a lot of muscular problems and he struggled a bit.
So far this season he feels like 'I'm clean, I feel good here, and no problems'. But every three or four days it's game, game, game. So I don't know in one, two or three months' time. I don't expect him to score two or three goals in every game. At the moment, it's going to happen. But it's not a problem because I know the quality is there, but I think the difference from last season is that he feels good, with no problems.
99 and counting...
Erling Haaland will be hoping that rotation doesn't happen.
The Norweigan could be raising his bat in the air as he is just one run away from a century.
Wait... wrong sport, Harry.
Haaland is currently sitting on 99 goals in just 103 games in all competitions for Manchester City.
I know, it's mental. He is only in his third season at the club.
Tonight, Haaland could make it 100 if he scores against Inter Milan. And I would not put it past him.
Crazy, crazy numbers.
Will Pep rotate?
Now this is an interesting question...
With Manchester City set to face Arsenal on Sunday in an early title-race six-pointer, it will be interesting to see what players Pep Guardiola goes with tonight.
We know that the Spaniard loves a tinker, so a part of me thinks he will use the strength of his squad tonight to his advantage.
Maybe Erling Haaland will be given a rest, and maybe Rodri will get his first start this season?
Who knows?
Well, what we do know is that they will be strong whichever 11 players he puts on that pitch.
Elsewhere in Europe
While we will keep the majority of our focus on proceedings at the Etihad tonight, there are plenty of other Champions League matches tonight.
In fact, there are five other ties you can all sink your teeth into, and I will provide updates in bulk if the goals start flying in elsewhere.
So, here is tonight's fixture list:
- Bologna 0-0 Shakhtar Donetsk (latest)
- Sparta Prague 1-0 Red Bull Salzburg (latest)
- Celtic vs Slovan Bratislava, 20:00 KO
- Club Brugge vs Borussia Dortmund, 20:00 KO
- PSG vs Girona, 20:00 KO
European giants collide
Tonight is going to be a cracker, I can feel it.
Manchester City and Inter Milan are two giants of European football, they both know what it takes to get their hands on 'Big Ears'.
Pep Guardiola's side have been on fire this season, they somehow look better than ever. I'm not really sure how it's possible, but they do.
They have a 100 per cent record in the Premier League after four games, and they will want to keep that run going into the Champions League.
As they know, though, Simone Inzaghi's Inter are no pushover. I'd argue it's their toughest test of the group phase, even if they are due to play Juventus and PSG.
Tonight will be nowhere near as cagey as the final in 2023, expect goals, and lots of them.
Who will score more of them?
About last night...
Let's quickly reflect on last night, it was blooming fantastic. Well, I thought it was.
The Champions never ceases to deliver year after year and last night it opened with a bang.
There were a total of 28 goals in just six fixtures last night that's over an average of four goals per game.
11 of those came in Bayern Munich's 9-2 thrashing of Dinam Zagreb, to be fair, with Harry Kane netting four of them.
The English teams both got off to perfect starts with Aston Villa sweeping three past Young Boys without reply in their first European Cup match in 41 years.
Meanwhile, Liverpool came from behind to win away at AC Milan to provide Arne Slot with the perfect birthday present.
Kylian Mbappe got off the mark in Europe with Real Madrid as the champions made hard work of getting past Stuttgart.
Last but not least, Sporting CP and Juventus both started off with three points, beating Lille and PSV respectively.
All caught up now, yeah?
Ready for more?
Have we all recovered from last night?
I just about have, and now it's time for us to do it all over again for night two of the revamped Champions League.
Tonight it's Manchester City to get their European campaign up and running as they face Inter Milan at the Etihad.
For some reason this fixture feels like it has some history behind it, doesn't it?
Oh yes, I know why. This was the Champions League final just two seasons ago in Istanbul.
City fans do not need reminding of what happened that night...
But tonight is a new dawn and a new day, so don't expect as cagey of a match as we saw in Turkey that night.
Right then, I think it's about time we get cracking, don't you?
