Data drop: Everything you need to know about the Champions League final
The Champions League final is looming large — and Internazionale and Manchester City are ready to battle it out for the ultimate prize in club football.
Pep Guardiola’s side can secure a famous treble in Istanbul which will no doubt cement their status as one of the best sides in history.
The stakes are not quite as high for the Nerazzurri but they are still looking to claim an impressive cup double after winning the Coppa Italia last month.
We have fired up the Twenty3 Toolbox to identify the standout storylines ahead of the final showdown at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium.
Fearsome forwards
City boast one of the most potent forward lines in world football – but Inter also possess plenty of capable attackers.
The data suggests that this fixture is likely to produce goals, despite the stereotype that finals can be cagey.
The Premier League champions have scored an astounding 31 goals in the Champions League (2.58 per 90), while Nerazzurri have put the ball in the back of the net 19 times in the competition (1.58 per 90).
Guardiola’s treble-chasers have frequently troubled the scoresheet when playing continental football this season and their Italian opponents pose a threat of their own — there could be plenty of goals in Turkey.
Potential cautions
Champions League finals raise tensions – and the data suggests that there could be a few cards on show.
City have been shown 19 yellow cards in 12 outings, while Nerazzurri have received three more (22).
This equates to 1.58 per 90 for the English side and 1.83 per 90 for their opponents.
With so much at stake, it seems highly likely that both sides will be cautioned at least once each.
City depth
City possess a lethal goalscorer in the form of Erling Haaland — the 22-year-old phenomenon has scored 12 goals in 781 Champions League minutes this term.
This works out at the incredible rate of 1.38 per 90 and chances are high that Haaland will be the one to make the difference in Turkey.
However, you City’s supporting cast should not be written off.
They may not score at the rate the Norwegian striker does but Bernando Silva, Riyad Mahrez and Julián Álvarez have each netted three goals in the competition.
Kevin De Bruyne is more likely to supply his teammates with chances but he is no stranger to finding the back of the net himself — he has scored two goals in the Champions League, one of which was a vital strike in the semi-final first leg against Real Madrid.
Inter attackers
Inter boast plenty of goals in their ranks — strikers Edin Dzeko (four) Lautaro Martinez (three) and Romelu Lukaku (three) are all capable of finding the net.
However, Simone Inzaghi’s 3-5-2 system only has room for two centre-forwards, meaning one of the trio will have to affect the game as a substitute.
One of the benefits of that system is the third man runner from midfield in Nicolò Barella — he often bursts beyond the strikers and into the final third.
The Italian has also netted three goals and although City’s defence is stern, they will have to be aware of Barella’s threat from deep.
Outcome
The Champions League trophy has thus far eluded Pep Guardiola at City but he has been ruthless in his pursuit of it this campaign.
The Citizens topped Group G unbeaten, scoring 14 times and conceding just twice to finish above Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla and FC Copenhagen.
They then dismantled RB Leipzig 8-1 on aggregate before recording impressive wins over heavyweight opponents Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in order to reach the final.
Internazionale come in as underdogs but their campaign has been impressive.
The Nerazzurri have gone up against high-quality opposition already, finishing second in a difficult Group C that contained both Bayern and LaLiga champions Barcelona.
They got past Porto 1-0 on aggregate before facing Portuguese opponents once more in Benfica, who they overcame 5-3.
The semi-finals pitted them against rivals AC Milan, but Simone Inzaghi’s men demonstrated great composure to reach the final with a 3-0 aggregate success.
City are the favourites as they pursue a place in the record books – but Inter should not be underestimated in what looks set to be a titanic Champions League final.
All visualisations and Smart Reports in this article were produced with the Twenty3 Toolbox. For more information, please get in touch below.