By
Blake Roberts
Founder & Editor in Chief Updated: 01 June 2023
Blake Roberts Founder & Editor in Chief
Blake Roberts is the founder of Betting.US and is currently heading the creative team as Editor in Chief. Born and raised in Morgantown, West Virginia, Blake is a great sports fan, with football and basketball being his favorite. He’s our trusted voice for all betting-related matters.
The Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, will set the stage for the UEFA Champions League 2022/23 final between Manchester City and Inter Milan. The summit clash is scheduled for Saturday, 11 June, and will kick off at 03:00 PM ET, leaving the best soccer betting sites with plenty of traffic to deal with.
The 2022/23 Champions League is the 68th edition of the competition that has been dominated by Real Madrid in the past and even in recent times. The Spanish giants have won this coveted title 14 times and have finished second-best on three occasions. They were on their way to another final before Manchester City halted them in the semi-finals.
Manchester City notched a 1-1 draw in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu. It was advantageous for the visitors and could have been more advantageous if the away goals rule was still in play. However, it did not matter because, in the second leg at the Etihad Stadium, City walloped Madrid 4-0 and reserved their place in the final.
The second most successful team in this competition is AC Milan, with a Champions League title tally of seven. After winning the Serie A title after 11 years, last season, the Rossoneri were looking to increase their European trophy count this season, and they did reach the semi-finals where their rivals, Inter Milan, were waiting for them.
Inter Milan reigned supreme in an iconic Derby della Madonnina at the San Siro in the Champions League semi-final. They nabbed a 1-0 win in the first leg and then wrapped the tie up in the second leg with a 2-0 victory to secure a Champions League final berth for the sixth time in their history.
Manchester City were recently crowned the champions of England for the third successive season. This is the ninth English Premier League title for Pep Guardiola’s men, and the season is still not over for them. After winning the Premier League and reaching the finals of the Champions League and the FA Cup, the club aims to bag the treble.
After securing the Premier League title with games to spare, Guardiola decided to field a weaker side in the remaining league games. On the last matchday, City suffered a 1-0 defeat against Brentford, which ended their prolific 25-game unbeaten streak that spanned all competitions. Their previous loss came against Tottenham Hotspur in February this year.
City have been a menacing side in Europe. Before eliminating Madrid in the semi-final, the Citizens thrashed Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich 4-1 on aggregate in the quarterfinals. The newly crowned champions of England are a force to reckon with. Hence, they are strong favorites in this season’s Champions League final.
Inter Milan, on the other hand, were involved in comparatively easy fixtures until the semifinals. The Italian giants eliminated both Portuguese teams of FC Porto and Benfica before eliminating their neighbors to reach the final. Despite being underdogs, Simone Inzaghi’s men possess the desire to add another piece of silverware to the trophy cabinet.
Two seasons ago, the 11-year wait for a Serie A title ended as Inter Milan lifted the Scudetto. However, they failed to win the title this year and are currently ranked third with one game to go. Like City, Inter are also aiming for their own treble. They won their seventh Italian Super Cup earlier this season and then bagged their ninth Coppa Italia trophy.
Inter were labeled underdogs the last time they reached the final of the Champions League. However, a Diego Milito brace was enough to hand them their third title. This time around, the situation will be more demanding than it was over ten years ago because City are probably the hardest nut to crack in the world of club football this season.
Manchester City’s biggest threat will come via their prolific striker Erling Haaland. The Norwegian is the tournament’s leading goalscorer, with 12 goals in ten appearances. Haaland has scored a staggering 52 goals in all competitions this season and provided nine assists.
But City have not relied on just one player this season. Their star-studded squad comprises players like Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez, Ilkay Gundogan, Jack Grealish, and more. Even if Haaland does not score, the goals will come from a different source.
The primary threat from Inter will come via Lautaro Martinez and Edin Dzeko. Martinez has scored thrice in the Champions League, but his Serie A goal tally is at 21. Meanwhile, the former City striker, Dzeko, would love to score against his former club and add to his tally.
The Bosnian has scored four goals in the Champions League this season, one of which came against AC Milan in the semi-final first leg. Creativity will be expected from Hakan Calhanoglu, who has provided eight assists in all competitions this season.
Betting Bill Fails to Get Past Alabama Conference CommitteeRead Article
Lisa SpencerMay 18, 2024
North Carolina Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Ban College Prop BetsRead ArticleLisa SpencerMay 15, 2024
November Referendum on Sports Betting Likely in MissouriRead ArticleLisa SpencerMay 13, 2024