Manchester City are leaving no stone unturned in their quest for European glory, with Pep Guardiola putting his squad through an intense training regime ahead of Saturday's Champions League final against Inter Milan.
The Road to Istanbul
As City chase the historic treble, having already secured the Premier League and FA Cup, their final hurdle comes at Istanbul's Ataturk Olympic Stadium. The squad have been training at their City Football Academy base, with Guardiola implementing specific tactical drills to counter Simone Inzaghi's Inter side.
Key players including Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan have all been put through their paces, with particular focus on breaking down Inter's organised defensive structure.
Pep's Precision Planning
Guardiola, known for his meticulous approach to big games, has been overseeing every aspect of preparation. Sources close to the training camp reveal the Spanish manager has been working on:
- Set-piece strategies against Inter's three-man defence
- High-pressing systems to disrupt Inter's build-up play
- Counter-attacking scenarios for rapid transitions
- Penalty shootout practice with all potential takers
The atmosphere at the training ground has been described as "focused but confident", with players understanding the magnitude of what they could achieve in Turkey.
Final Preparations Underway
City are scheduled to fly out to Istanbul on Friday, with a final training session planned at the match venue. The team will be based at a luxury hotel on the city's European side, avoiding the potential travel complications that affected fans during the 2005 final.
With temperatures expected to reach the mid-20s, conditioning staff have been monitoring players' hydration and energy levels throughout the intense sessions.
As one club insider revealed: "This is the most prepared City have ever been for a final. Pep has analysed every possible scenario."
