'The Only Thing We Want To Change Is To Lift The UCL Trophy"'.. Says Kevin De Bruyne Ahead Of Inter Milan Clash.

 Manchester City playmaker, Kevin De Bruyne, has revealed how his team will approach their UEFA Champions League final against Inter Milan.

De Bruyne believes Inter have a ‘clear identity’ but his team must ‘play as they know’ and ‘be relaxed’ in the game.

The Premier League champions and FA Cup winners can become just the second English team to achieve the incredible and historic treble after Man United 1999 team, if they beat Inter Milan at the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey on Saturday night.

Pep Guardiola’s side had eliminated reigning and record champions Real Madrid in the semi-final encounter some days ago, while Inter Milan knocked AC Milan out of the competition.

On paper, Man City who are yet to win the title, are overwhelming favourite to lift the trophy for the first time in the club's history, but De Bruyne doesn’t underestimate the Nerazzurri.

Opponents Inter have won the competition three times in their history but go into the match as underdogs.

Man City lost their first Champions League Final in 2021 against Chelsea, while the last time Inter win it was in 2009-10 under José Mourinho when they completed a legendary treble.

Inter have lost two Finals, one in 1967 against Celtic and the other one in 1972 against Johan Cruijff’s Ajax.

Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport on the eve of the meeting in Istanbul, De Bruyne says Man City are not thinking about the treble, but simply on winning the trophy, and only winning will truly enshrine their status as an elite club.

“We’ve not won it yet,” he warned. “So as long as we don’t win it, these questions are going to come back every year. But we’ve been so consistent, even if we’ve not won it, in the eight years I’ve been here we’ve reached finals, semi-finals, quarter-finals, so we’ve always been in the top eight, top four in the Champions League.

“We’ve just not won it yet, and that’s the only thing we want to change.

“I know that completing the Treble would help the team, but the result of the Final won’t change my path or what this team has done over the years.

“We try to win every game regardless of the opponent, we know it’s an important moment, but the more we are relaxed the more things will be easy.”

On how they would approach their opponents Inter, De Bruyne admitted;

“I don’t think we’ll change something. I’ll try to relax and prepare as I do before every game. I’ll try to be ready,” The Belgian star said.

“We celebrated the Premier League title after the victory against Chelsea but after the FA Cup Final I went straight home; my wife was busy, so I took care of the kids and enjoyed some days off with my family.”

“I expect a pretty tough game. They’re very solid and they’re very good players.

“I know people are saying that we’re fully favourites and if we don’t win, a lot will be said. But I think you don’t become a Champions League finalist if you are not a strong team,” he added.

“Inter have won the Coppa Italia and won almost all their games at the end of the season. They have a clear identity and a well-defined system. Nobody thinks it will be easy against Inter and it’s a Final so we have the same chances.

“We must score one more goal and defend better than them. It’s always the same story, to be honest, I think we must play as we know.”

The game will see De Bruyne reunite with his friend and compatriot Romelu Lukaku in Istanbul.

“To be fair, I haven’t spoken to him for a while, since the last time we played for Belgium,” admitted KDB.

“We’ve both been very busy. Romelu is one of the best friends I have in football, we’ve known each other since we were 13-14. This is just a game, but after it, we’ll be friends again and we’ll meet with the national team next week.”

De Bruyne joined the club in 2015 and has become one of the most highly rated footballers in Europe during that time.

As part of City’s all-conquering team, the Belgian has lifted five Premier League tiles as well as seven League Cups and FA Cups combined.