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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Simon Bajkowski & Joe Bray & Tyrone Marshall

How Man City should line up in Champions League final vs Inter Milan

Manchester City will hope for Kyle Walker to be fit for the Champions League final vs Inter Milan tonight.

Walker missed training earlier this week, but reassured reporters that he was not a doubt for the biggest - and final - game of City's season. However, he was included in a full-strength 23-man travelling squad that arrived in Istanbul on Thursday for the Champions League final, raising hopes he could be available.

Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva were also included after picking up knocks in the FA Cup final win over Manchester United last weekend, with Pep Guardiola likely having no injury concerns when he comes to pick his squad.

Guardiola has already confirmed that Ederson will start the final after back-up goalkeeper Stefan Ortega started the cup final in his role as 'cup goalkeeper'.

READ NEXT: Every word from Dias, De Bruyne and Guardiola ahead of Man City final

Read how our writers think City should line up below and use the interactive selector to pick your own starting XI:

Simon Bajkowski

There really is only one team you can pick, and it is the team that started last week against United.

Nathan Ake is desperately unlucky to have got injured at such a critical stage of the season, while there is an argument for Phil Foden coming in - particularly given Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish didn't have their best games in the FA Cup final. But the running and pressing they provide in such a relentless way means Pep Guardiola has to keep faith with them as well as Manu Akanji and Kyle Walker.

Ederson comes in for Stefan Ortega at the back and there is no moving Ruben Dias and John Stones. Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne are also automatic picks.

Pick your best team here:

Joe Bray

The team picks itself for me, with only left-back up for debate. We know Ederson starts, and if Walker is fit, he's proven himself worthy of a start over someone like Manu Akanji or John Stones shifting over. Stones will start, likely reprising his hybrid defender-midfielder role alongside Ruben Dias. However good Nathan Ake has been this season, Akanji has more match fitness and offers more reliability on the left than handing Ake a start after a few weeks out.

The midfield will almost certainly include Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne, with De Bruyne playing so well in the semi-final, and Gundogan on a run of six goals and two assists in his last six games. It could be the captain's final game for City, but he can sign off in style if it is to be farewell.

In attack, Bernardo Silva will offer more versatility against a solid defence than, say, Riyad Mahrez or Phil Foden, and he has been the go-to right-winger against Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Arsenal and Manchester United. Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland will complete the XI.

Tyrone Marshall

Guardiola sprang a major surprise in the Champions League final two years ago but it's hard to see anything on that scale this time around. His team for the big games has a very settled look now.

The biggest selection headache might be in defence. If Walker is fit I would leave Ake out, which is unfortunate given how well he played in the early stages of City's dazzling spring run. Stones, Dias and Akanji have all been excellent, however.

Midfield has a very settled look now. Rodri is arguably City's most important player at the moment and Gundogan has been absolutely essential in the big games in recent weeks. De Bruyne's last Champions League final will act as motivation to him.

In attack, it is obviously Haaland who leads the line. Grealish has been excellent on the right and Bernardo just has to play in the big matches.

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