Pep Guardiola has described Manchester City reaching the Champions League final as a “dream” but says their superb form this season will count for nothing going into the clash with Inter Milan on Saturday.
City, looking to win European club football's elite competition for the first time, are playing their second final in three years after narrowly losing to Chelsea in 2021.
Pep Guardiola's men go into this match looking to seal a historic treble having already secured their third Premier League title in a row and last weekend lifted the FA Cup after beating neighbours Manchester United at Wembley Stadium.
But the Spaniard insists all the success the team has achieved this season will count for nothing when they take on the Serie A side in Turkey.
“In two days we will travel to Istanbul. It's a dream to be here,” said Guardiola. “Two years ago we were there, but it's a different circumstance, due to Covid.
“We are going to try to do our best as we know the final depends on how you behave over the specific 90 minutes. It is not about history – if they are better than us.
“For history, they are better than us, but is about what you have to do in 90 minutes to be better than the opponent. It doesn’t count what you have done in the group stage, quarter-finals, last season, Premier League or FA Cup. It is one single game.”
When asked if winning the Champions League would take City to another level, Guardiola added: “Yeah definitely, I said many times you have to win Europe to stay at another level. It's as simple as that.”
City held an open training session on Tuesday but defender Kyle Walker was not involved having been substituted in the latter stages of the FA Cup final.
Guardiola said that the England right-back had sat out the session to avoid aggravating a back problem and that his fitness would be monitored in the coming days.
“He has had a little bit of a disturbance in his back,” said Guardiola. “Yesterday he was not good, today he was a little bit better but we didn't want to take any risks. We will see in the next days.”
Meanwhile, Inter manager Simone Inzaghi expressed his admiration for Guardiola and City and said his side would have to be at their absolute best if they were to come out on top.
But the Italian also made clear that Inter are not scared about the prospect of taking on Erling Haaland and Co at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium.
“I know we'll meet the strongest team in the world at the moment. We face the best,” said Inzaghi. “We're talking about a football match and with all due respect, I'm not afraid of anything.
“Guardiola is the best coach in the world and he has marked an era. We have a lot of respect but we're proud to play this final because we wanted it with every fibre of our being.”
Alessandro Bastoni is one Inter's three central defenders who will be tasked with keeping tabs on 52-goal Haaland and repeated his manager's mantra that there is nothing to fear.
“You are scared of murderers, not football players. It would be a mistake to talk about fear,” he said. “It's not Haaland versus Inter, it's Manchester City versus Inter.
“There's no fear, just the right level of tension. More than anything there is happiness … I can't wait to get out on the pitch.”
