Manchester City begin life after Pep Guardiola when they take on Inter Milan in a pre-season friendly at Hong Kong Stadium on Saturday. The meeting reunites the clubs that contested the 2023 UEFA Champions League final, but this time it marks the beginning of Enzo Maresca's reign as City prepare for the 2026-27 season.
Maresca succeeds Guardiola following the Spaniard's departure after a trophy-laden decade that brought 20 major honours to the Etihad Stadium. A former City assistant manager under Guardiola, the Italian returns after successful spells with Leicester City and Chelsea, where he built a reputation for possession-based football. This fixture will be his first opportunity to assess his squad in match conditions.
Manchester City have continued to strengthen their squad ahead of the new season. The club completed the signing of highly rated youngster Jeremy Monga, while Elliot Anderson is set to join after completing a British-record £116 million move from Newcastle United. However, several key players, including Erling Haaland, Rodri, Jeremy Doku, Marc Guéhi and Anderson, are unavailable after being granted extended breaks following the FIFA World Cup, giving a number of academy players the chance to impress.
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Inter Milan arrive in Hong Kong on the back of a successful campaign under Cristian Chivu. In his first season in charge, the former Nerazzurri defender guided the club to the Serie A title and Coppa Italia to complete a domestic double. Inter have already begun their pre-season with a 2-1 victory over Karlsruher SC, secured through Andy Diouf's stoppage-time brace.
The Italian champions have also strengthened with the additions of midfielder Aleksandar Stankovic and goalkeeper Ivan Provedel as Chivu continues to reshape his squad. Like City, Inter are without several World Cup stars, including captain Lautaro Martinez, meaning younger players are expected to feature prominently.
Manchester City vs Inter Milan Match Venue And Timing
Manchester City will face Inter Milan in a pre-season friendly at Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong, on Saturday, August 1, 2026. The match is scheduled to kick off at 5:30 PM IST.
Manchester City vs Inter Milan Predicted XIs
Both managers are expected to balance experienced first-team players with promising youngsters as they continue building fitness ahead of the new season. With several World Cup stars unavailable, fringe players and academy graduates are likely to receive significant minutes.
Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Gianluigi Donnarumma; Rico Lewis, Reis, Abdukodir Khusanov, Rayan Alt-Nouri; Nico Gonzalez, Tijjani Reijnders; Savinho, Phil Foden, Jeremy Monga; Divin Mubamba.
Inter Milan (3-5-2): Josep MartÃnez; Yann Aurel Bisseck, Leonardo Bovio, Carlos Augusto; Andy Diouf, Nicolo Barella, Piotr Zielinski, Aleksandar Stankovic, Federico Dimarco; Jamal Iddrissou, Francesco Pio Esposito.
Will There Be Live Telecast Of Manchester City vs Inter Milan?
The Manchester City vs Inter Milan pre-season friendly will not be televised live in India.
How To Watch Manchester City vs Inter Milan Live Streaming?
Fans can watch the match live on FanCode by purchasing a match pass or an eligible subscription. The game will be available via the FanCode website and mobile application.
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