Izuchukwu OkosiAhead of Saturday’s 2022/2023 UEFA Champions League final at the Atartuk Stadium in Istanbul, Inter Milan have a plan to nullify the threats of striker Erling Haaland, according to Inter’s head coach Simone Inzaghi.
Manchester City are however considered by bookmakers as having the slight edge for the game.
The devastating form of Haaland has divided opinions as Inter also possess a formidable team capable of denying City the treble they desperate hope for.
Inzaghi speaking in his pre match press conference on Friday evening posited that the Nerazurri will devise a means to stop the 22 year-old Haaland albeit the formula also demands that the entire team defend throughout the duration of the game.
Haaland will be seeing to add to his 52 goals for Manchester City this season.
The Norwegian is going to be a major threat to Inter, who are underdogs in Istanbul, but former Italy international Inzaghi has a good record in cup finals and he’s come up with a tactical plan to try and stop Haaland.
Inzaghi is well aware that City have more threats than just Haaland, but his goalscoring record this term has been incredible and Inter will have to stay alert to try and keep him out.
“We know how strong Manchester City is, we know what a player Haaland is. We’ll have a special eye for him, he’s an attacking player,” said Inzaghi.
“I’ve prepared something but it will be all of Inter, the whole team will have to defend to limit not only Haaland but also City.”
Inzaghi has been impressed with all aspects of City’s game in the Champions League this season, but wants his team to turn up for the occasion and give them a contest.
“Regarding City’s defence, it is very solid, in the Champions League they conceded very little as they have done in the FA Cup,” he said.
“They’re good at defending, good at attacking. We know what kind of team they are, they’re very strong, we’ll try to play a match that is worthy of the final.
“We know what kind of match to expect, we know Manchester City right now is probably the best team in the world, they have proved it.
“But we’re aware of our Champions League campaign, we’re proud of what we did and we will do our best. We must make no mistakes because our opponents are a very strong game.”
City came close to winning the European title two seasons ago but lost 1-0 to Chelsea in the final.
Many observers have divided opinions on the legacy Pep Guardiola would bequeath at City when his coaching job winds down at the Etihad but having led the team to about five League triumphs since his arrival from Bayern Munich, he himself insisted that his achievements cannot be downplayed.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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