Manchester City begins their pre-season adventure in Hong Kong against the Italian Champions Inter Milan on Saturday at the Kai Tak Sports Park.
Manchester City vs Inter Milan – Match preview and team news
- Date: Saturday, 1st August.
- Kick-off: 12:30pm BST.
- Venue: Kai Tak Sports Park, Kowloon City, Hong Kong.
Manchester City team news
Manchester City enters this pre-season friendly under new manager Enzo Maresca with a heavily depleted squad consisting mostly of youth prospects.
Extended post-World Cup breaks leave the Sky Blues without key stars like Erling Haaland, Marc Guéhi, Jérémy Doku, Rayan Cherki, Nico O’Reilly, and new signing Elliot Anderson.
Furthermore, Rúben Dias, Matheus Nunes, and Omar Marmoush are scheduled to join the tour later, ruling them out of this specific match.
Injury concerns also plague the squad, with Rodri sidelined following minor back surgery and Jack Grealish recovering from a foot injury in Manchester.
Kalvin Phillips did not travel due to an impending loan move, while John Stones recently completed a transfer to Inter Milan.
Despite these absences, senior figures Gianluigi Donnarumma, Rico Lewis, Joško Gvardiol, Tijjani Reijnders, and Phil Foden are expected to feature
Inter Milan team news
Inter Milan, under the guidance of Cristian Chivu, faces similar squad constraints as they navigate their opening Asian pre-season fixture.
The Italian side is missing talismanic captain Lautaro Martínez along with several other key international players who are still on holiday following extended World Cup campaigns.
Former Manchester City defender John Stones has completed his switch to Inter but will not feature against his old club due to his ongoing vacation.
On a positive note, new signings Ivan Provedel and midfielder Aleksandar Stankovic have travelled with the team and are in contention to make their appearances.
Chivu will rely heavily on an experienced core featuring Nicolò Barella, Piotr Zieliński, Federico Dimarco, and Yann Bisseck to anchor the starting lineup.
They will be supported by a wave of academy products, including teenagers Leonardo Bovio, Jamal Iddrussou, and Francesco Pio Esposito
Form
Manchester City
Manchester City wrapped up their previous competitive campaign with mixed results, securing a 1-0 victory over Chelsea to lift the FA Cup before suffering a 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa in their final Premier League fixture. Under new manager Enzo Maresca, today’s pre-season opener represents a fresh start. However, their true current form remains highly unpredictable, given the heavy reliance on an unproven academy group following extensive World Cup absences.
Inter Milan
Inter Milan closed out their last campaign in impressive style under Cristian Chivu, going unbeaten in their final four domestic games, which included winning the Coppa Italia with a 2-0 triumph over Lazio. They have also already kicked off their current pre-season schedule positively, securing a 2-1 victory over Karlsruher SC. They carry strong momentum into today’s fixture, backed by a more experienced core group than their opponents.
Predicted lineups
Manchester City: Donnarumma; Lewis, Reis, Khusanov, Ait-Nouri; Gonzalez; Savinho, Reijnders, Foden, Monga; Mubamba
Inter Milan: Martinez; Bisseck, Bovio, Augusto; Diouf, Barella, Zielinski, Stankovic, Dimarco; Iddrissou, Esposito
How to watch Manchester City vs Inter Milan?
You can watch the Manchester City vs Inter Milan pre-season match in the UK exclusively online via Manchester City’s streaming service, CITY+.
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