Former Manchester City and Inter midfielder Patrick Vieira believes both sides are ‘extraordinary’, ahead of next weeks Champions League final. The two sides will meet in Istanbul on June 10, and speaking with RMC Sport, Vieira explained why he believes both teams deserve to be there, pointing to City’s dominance and Inter’s collective strength:
“Manchester City? They dominate the English league and play very well. They are really extraordinary. You don’t have to be a City fan to enjoy watching them play. They are a team that gives off a lot of strength, technical and physical quality, play well, score goals, defend very well as a team, it is a beautiful team to watch play.”
“Haaland? He has come into a collective that creates a lot of chances and then doesn’t make many mistakes. That is his strength. Previously they had very good forwards, but they needed maybe ten chances to score four or five goals. He has this determination, this aggressiveness of wanting to put the ball deep. This is the element that was missing, even in the state of mind. He is a fighter, he doesn’t let up. And that is really a strength for City.”
“Inter deserves to be in the final. They are an extraordinary team and they have been able to play great games. You don’t get to the final of a competition like the Champions League by chance (…) Their strength is the collective. They do not dominate the game enormously by having possession, but they are a team that defends very well, that is able to defend very low. Afterwards, on the counterattack, they are able to move fast. There are very good individualities. Dzeko seems to be back in his 20s (he is 37, ed.). Lautaro Martinez scores and looks in great shape. And at the back they don’t take so many goals.”
