Edin Dzeko forged a reputation at Manchester City as a scorer of important goals.
City will be hoping that their 37-year-old former striker doesn’t give them another reminder of his prowess for the big occasion when he leads Inter Milan’s attack in the Champions League final. Dzeko has scored just 14 times this season as Inter have clinched a top-four Serie A finish, lifted the Coppa Italia and booked a date of destiny with the Blues in Istanbul.
But he plays such an important role in Simone Inzaghi’s team that the Bosnian is expected to partner Argentine talisman Lautaro Martinez in attack while Romelu Lukaku starts on the bench. Dzeko illustrated he hasn’t lost his touch for scoring ‘heavy’ goals by opening the scoring as Inter beat bitter rivals AC Milan in the semi-finals.
He found the net 72 times in 189 appearances over three-and-a-half years at the Etihad after arriving in a £27million deal from Wolfsburg in January 2011. Dzeko spent much of his time on the bench - but he secured his place in City’s history by coming on as a substitute to head home the injury-time equaliser against QPR in May 2012 that set the scene for Sergio Aguero to grab a late winner that secured the club’s first Premier League title.
There were other big moments. Dzeko’s first goal for the club was a late equaliser in a third-round FA Cup tie at Notts County which provided the springboard for Roberto Mancini to deliver City’s first trophy for 35 years.
His first Premier League goal was a late winner at Blackburn that secured a vital three points in the Blues’ quest to qualify for the Champions League. In 2013-14, on the day when Steven Gerrard slipped against Chelsea to open the title door for Manuel Pellegrini’s side, Dzeko kicked it wide open by scoring the opener in a 2-0 win at Crystal Palace.
Six days later, he struck twice in a 3-2 win at Everton before bagging another double in a 4-0 victory over Aston Villa that was in the balance until the Bosnian opened the scoring to end 63 minutes of frustration. There were also derby doubles at Old Trafford, Champions League goals in the Bernabeu and four in a 5-1 victory at White Hart Lane.
City can’t say they haven’t been warned. Guardiola will be braced for Inter to use the experience of Dzeko and former Manchester United trio Lukaku, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Matteo Darmian to soak up City possession and pounce on the counter-attack.
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He will also have to guard against Martinez, the 25-year-old forward who ex-Inter striker Jurgen Klinsmann has hailed as being close to Erling Haaland. Klinsmann said: “Haaland is an incredible No 9 - and he could demolish a bus.
“But Lautaro has evolved and is not far behind. He’s on the same level as the top strikers. There is too much concern about which striker will start when who will finish the game is more important. Dzeko could start, but Lukaku can be devastating from minute 60.
“Manchester City are phenomenal, but Inter have nothing to lose and this is almost an advantage. Every team has weak points and I think Inzaghi will find City’s. They’ll have chances - but will need to make the most of them.”
