The stage is set for the biggest match in European football as Inter Milan and Manchester City lock horns in Istanbul on Saturday.
The Italians are aiming to win their first Champions League since 2010; Man City are yet to win the coveted trophy, but that curse could soon be banished in Turkey.
Pep Guardiola's men come into the final as firm favourites. The Citizens have just dismantled arch-rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final, whilst also seemingly cruising to the Premier League in the closing weeks. A win on Saturday would complete the club's first-ever treble - arguably making them the greatest British side of all time.
But Simone Inzaghi's men stand in their way. Despite a season of disappointment in Serie A, there is a sense of belief in the blue side of Milan. Beating arch-rivals AC Milan in the semi-finals showed a new side to I Nerazzurri; a team that can defy the odds on the biggest stage. Within the San Siro's cacophony of noise that night, there was one thing clear - Inter will not go down without a fight against Man City, but how?
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Inter's resilient defence
Keeping a clean sheet in five out of six Champions League knockout matches shows the impressive work Inzaghi has installed in northern Italy. Porto and AC Milan both failed to score against Inter, with Benfica's chaotic 3-3 draw away at the San Siro seemingly acting as an anomaly in a season of defensive solidarity.
It's a similar story in Serie A; Inter conceded just 42 goals in the league - the sixth lowest. Yet it is the underlying stat which highlights Inter's impressive defensive structure. I Nerazzurri conceded 36.05 xGA (expected goals against) - the third lowest in Italy. Man City have struggled to break down low blocks in years gone by, so could it be a similar story on Saturday?
Inter's back five comprises of Denzel Dumfries, Matteo Darmian, Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Bastoni, and Federico Dimarco. On paper, it is a defence that should not be in a European final, with Darmian and Acerbi both ageing significantly. But Inzaghi has found a way to get the best out of the Italians.
Out of possession, it drops into a low block back five. Dumfries, as an aggressive and versatile wing-back, offers support to Darmian on the right, whilst Dimarco provides support for Bastoni on the left. Dumfries offers little attacking threat in the final third, so dropping deep allows the Dutchman to utilise his best qualities.
However, this defensive structure is only possible with midfield support. Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Hakan Calhanoglu, and Nicolo Barella incorporate the centre of the park. In a similar fashion to the defence, the midfield trio should not work as effectively as it does. Calhanoglu and Mkhitaryan are two ex-playmakers who have adapted from the final third to the centre of the park. Whilst Barella acts as a box-to-box midfielder, leading to Inter operating without a strong defensive midfielder.
On Saturday, the midfield trio and back five will sit deep and try to close down as many half-spaces as possible. It will frustrate Man City; the only question is if the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish can inspire an attacking masterclass to overcome it.
Even Guardiola understands how challenging the task will be, with the Spaniard saying on Tuesday: "It's not easy to attack the defensive system they [Inter] use. We have to have a lot of rhythm and patience. It's a final against a top team and we have to do it."
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Threatening in the final third
Of course, Inter need to be able to threaten in the final third to bring home European glory. Inzaghi's team have averaged just 45% possession in the Champions League this season - a stark comparison to Man City's average of 60%. But when they do have possession, Inter have shown they can be dangerous.
Edin Dzeko and Lautaro Martinez partner up front for I Nerazzurri. In the complex world of football, the duo show how simple the sport can be. Dzeko, now 37, acts as the strong and physical target man, whilst Martinez roams in the half-spaces looking to pounce onto any second balls.
It would be almost ironic if Dzeko, a man that was so crucial to Man City's first-ever Premier League title, came back to haunt his former side and score a dramatic winner.
With Dzeko now heading towards the end of his career, he will struggle to complete more than 60 minutes. Yet Inter have little reason to worry about that, with Romelu Lukaku able to replace the veteran on the hour. The Belgian will be almost a carbon copy of the Bosnian as he acts as a physical presence in the final third.
Dimarco provides an additional threat on the left flank. The Italian's dynamic pace and skillset gives Inter a scenario where they can play the ball out wide, often after the target man has won the aerial battle. All three of Mkhitaryan, Calhanoglu, and Barella provide a threat from midfield, especially with the Turkish playmaker being so dangerous from set-pieces.
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Transitioning on the break
With Inter likely to see little of the ball, they will have to be quick on the counter-attack, yet they are more than capable of doing so. A key reason for this is their goalkeeper, Andre Onana.
The Cameroonian is regarded as one of the best ball-playing goalkeepers in world football. Onana is provided with several options when he looks to start an attack. He can go long to Dzeko, look to utilise either wing-back or try to find Barella in the middle of the park, who has the ability to turn quickly and beat Man City's early press.
Being versatile is key for Inter's hope of victory. Man City will be ruthless in their press - they always have been under Guardiola. The Citizens' dynamic setup makes it very hard to play through. Rodri and John Stones are currently performing as two of the best footballers in the world at the moment in their respective roles.
But Inter have shown this season they can be dangerous in the transition, whether that is through Barella's creativity, Dimarco's pace, or Dzeko's strength.
There is no doubt Inter go into the Champions League final as firm underdogs. The Italians are not only playing for their club but also for the pride of the country. Roma and Fiorentina have already lost their European finals; if Inter were to lose as well, it would be a bleak reality for Italian football.