Great care a must against Manchester City, says Inter Milan boss on Champions League final

By Baris Seckin

APPIANO GENTILE, Italy (AA) — Inter Milan's manager said Tuesday that they needed to be very careful in this weekend's Champions League final match, calling their opponents Manchester City "the strongest team in the world."

"We have to be very careful and we have to play as a team," Simone Inzaghi said in a press conference at the Nerazzurri's sports facility, noting City's five English Premier League titles in the last six years.

The 49-year-old said his team would be up against a high-quality team with great staff and a coach who has left his mark on an era. "There is a phenomenon in modern football called 'before and after (Pep) Guardiola.' It's going be a very important game," he said.

"It's been a long journey," Inzaghi said on this season's Champions League, adding that Inter had been unlucky to draw two powerhouses, Bayern Munich and Barcelona, at the same time.

"We talked to the team and the technical team about this and said we could get out of the group with a good score. We're obviously in the final now, but I think it all started last year," he added.

- Looking forward to Istanbul atmosphere

The Inter boss hailed the atmosphere in Istanbul, saying he was looking forward to playing in the metropolis.

"The atmosphere of Istanbul will be very nice. (Authorities) reported that the field in Istanbul is in very good condition."

Italian club took home the Coppa Italia (Italian Cup) in back-to-back seasons and finished the Serie A table in the third spot this year.

City will go for the third jewel of their treble crown on Saturday as the Sky-Blues have so far won the Premier League title and FA Cup.

Inter Milan will play in the UEFA Champions League final against Manchester City at Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul on Saturday.