sport news KEOWN TALKS TACTICS: Inter Milan should learn from Brentford's approach on how ... trends now
View
comments
Manchester City are on the brink of history and, given the ruthlessness with which they dispatched Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, the temptation might be to think this Champions League final is a formality. It won’t be.
Inter Milan will have to play the perfect game but they possess the power to trouble their opponents.
Looking down the list of defeats suffered by City this season and the tactics deployed by their opponents, Brentford were the only side to beat them home and away and they are the closest to Inter in terms of their 3-5-2 shape and system.
When Brentford beat City 2-1 at the Etihad in November, Thomas Frank’s side sat on the edge of their box. They stayed compact with all 10 outfield players behind the ball.
Goalkeeper David Raya made no attempt to pass out from the back as he launched long balls towards Ivan Toney, stripping City of the chance to press high. Toney was a giant in the air, the underrated Bryan Mbeumo used his pace to break beyond the City defence, and Frank Onyeka broke forward from midfield in case there was a second ball to be won.
There might be temptation to think that Manchester City winning the Champions League is a formality
Inter Milan will have to play the perfect game but possess the power to trouble Man City
Inter could adopt a similar approach that saw Brentford goalkeeper David Raya (left) kick long at every attempt
The wing backs, particularly Rico Henry, flew down the flanks and delivered
