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Manchester City’s predicted XI for the UCL final against Chelsea

By Nikhil Venkat Sai

PORTO, PORTUGAL - 27 MAY : A general view of of an inflatable Champions League Trophy on display in Liberdade Square, Porto ahead of the UEFA Champions League Final between Manchester City and Chelsea at Estadio do Dragao on May 26, 2021 in Porto, Portugal. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
PORTO, PORTUGAL - 27 MAY : A general view of of an inflatable Champions League Trophy on display in Liberdade Square, Porto ahead of the UEFA Champions League Final between Manchester City and Chelsea at Estadio do Dragao on May 26, 2021 in Porto, Portugal. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images) /
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – JANUARY 17: Manchester City players Fernandinho, Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gündogan and Kevin De Bruyne discuss a free kick during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Crystal Palace at Etihad Stadium on January 17, 2021 in Manchester, United Kingdom. Sporting stadiums around England remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Visionhaus)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – JANUARY 17: Manchester City players Fernandinho, Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gündogan and Kevin De Bruyne discuss a free kick during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Crystal Palace at Etihad Stadium on January 17, 2021 in Manchester, United Kingdom. Sporting stadiums around England remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Visionhaus) /

Defensive Midfield: Fernandinho

The Brazilian has been inspiring this season and until a few months back, the 36-year-old looked all set to leave the club to enter the final phase of his career before finishing it off in Brazil. Fernandinho is a club legend by all means and was very instrumental in holding down the much-dreaded attack of PSG in the semi-finals.

Fernandinho has done well to complement an in-form defense and the 36-year-old has been a calming influence on the team. It would be surprising if Pep Guardiola doesn’t start the 36-year-old.

Central midfield: Bernardo Silva (Left)

The Portuguese has done well for Manchester City thus far. Though the 26-year-old hasn’t scored heavily this season, he has been a regular starter under Pep. The Portugal International offers a lot of depth to the squad and that is simply because he can play as a winger as well.

The midfielder has played more games than he has missed this season and as they say, one should never experiment in big games, let alone tinkering with a winning combination.

With 2 goals and 6 assists to his name, Silva will be hoping to add to his tally in a game where it counts the most.

Central midfield: Ilkay Gundogan (Right)

The Germany international has had the best goal-scoring season of his career this year. The 30-year-old has found the net 13 times this season in the Premier League, making him the top scorer of Manchester City. The former Dortmund man has also recorded 2 assists.

In a time when Pep needed strikers more than ever, Gundogan stepped up and amazed everyone with the timing of his runs into the box and then his ability to strike it. Gundogan has been employed as a false 9 this season as well and has done remarkably well.

The 30-year-old is expected to start in his usual midfield tomorrow.