Hellooooo Champions League Final! It's the final game of the season, and it's the game that everyone cares about. The pressure has never been higher and a spot in history is up for grabs. Only two remain, Manchester City F.C. and Inter Milan. They have fought off all the competition and will be looking for just one more win in this season.
Manchester City F.C. moved past the Semi-Finals by defeating Real Madrid CF with an aggregate score of 5-1. While Inter Milan proved too good for AC Milan, beating them in the Semi-Finals with an aggregate score of 3-0. Now, it's almost time for the big game, so make sure you are ready for some fireworks!
The most important thing you need to do to get ready is to ensure your Champions League tips are sorted. And who better than former A-League star, Jake Barker-Daish, to take you through the all-important clash and provide his Champions League tips. Check out all our soccer tips below:
Match Winner
For me this game is so big for so many reasons. Pep Guardiola breaking a near 10-year UCL hoodoo, Manchester City’s first Champions League trophy and of course the treble winning season potential for the sky blue. All of this pressure to me works in Inter Milan’s favour whom with the underdog tag have essentially nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Pep has been the best manager of our generation and has generational players with Haaland, De Bruyne and Phil Foden. This will be a game of chess and I see it being relatively low scoring with Inter Milan looking to be compact and allow City barely any space given they will dominate possession.
The form of City has been remarkable which is why I give them the edge against Inter but the value of Inter in the Dabble app cannot be underestimated and is a smokey, but fair bet given the teams they have beaten to get here. I think it will be Manchester City’s day and they are very much deserving of it, but football is not always fair so let’s watch this space.
Jake's Expert Champions League Final Tip: Manchester City
Correct Score / Total Goals
Manchester City 2 – Inter Milan 1 is the score I'm going for. I think this game could be closer than people think but City’s domination of possession combined with their quality all over the pitch will drive a breakdown in the Inter Milan block at various points in the game.
City have the most clinical finishers in the game and Ilkay Gundogan is arguably playing on the level of Zinedine Zidane it just feels Inter could potentially only hold them for so long before the Italian ship sinks. Inter will need an early goal to avoid all of the above or something late to take the game to extra time. I keep talking about Kevin De Bruyne because he seems to like this stage and to be the guy that takes the game when the bright lights are on to bring City home.
Jake's Expert Champions League Final Tip: Manchester City 2-1
First Goalscorer
Erling Haaland has been quiet of late for his standards which for me is more a scary thought than a negative one. Something tells me he is due in this game to grab a goal across a penalty, a tap in or that bit of brilliance we are so used to. The midfield has been scoring of late for City, but I think Erling has the quality to break this game open early and put City ahead 1-0.
Jake's Expert Champions League Final Tip: Erling Haaland
Anytime Goalscorer
There’s so many options and the form guide would suggest İlkay Gundogan is firing for City and scoring goals for fun. I like the options of Jack Grealish or Kevin De Bruyne here for anytime goal scorers for City in the big dance, they both have been flying with form but little reward in front of goal.
Sometimes the Champions League Final does bring a goal from someone you least expect. To give Inter a nod here also, Lautaro Martinez is the key man, and he will need to have a good game and be a part of the goals one way or another to give Inter a chance to make this game theirs.
Jake's Expert Champions League Final Tip: İlkay Gundogan
We told you our Champions League tips were on point! If reading our Champions League Final preview has got you all fired up, make sure you head on over to the Dabble app, get all your bets sorted and share your thoughts in the Banter channel.
