Preview: Manchester City vs Inter Milan - prediction, team news, lineups

Enzo Maresca's reign gets under way on Saturday, when Manchester City meet Italian giants Inter Milan for a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong.

The 2023 Champions League finalists will clash again at Kai Tak Sports Park in Kowloon, as City start their post-Pep Guardiola era.

Match preview

Handed the formidable task of taking over from his mentor, Maresca was selected to succeed Man City's most legendary manager, who departed after a decade packed with success.

After City secured a cup double but failed to regain the Premier League title last season, they will warm up for the upcoming 2026-27 campaign with a three-match trip to Asia.

Maresca's men face Inter this weekend, before playing a K-League All Stars XI and Atletico Madrid in Seoul next week, and some younger squad members should be given an early chance to impress.

World Cup stars such as Marc Guehi and Erling Haaland are still on holiday, meaning several key men will only return just ahead of the FA Community Shield clash with Arsenal on August 16.

So, an unfamiliar lineup could be set to meet Inter, who Guardiola and co memorably conquered in the 2023 Champions League final.

While City missed out on their main targets, Inter ultimately enjoyed a successful 2025-26 campaign, reclaiming their crown as Serie A champions.

Despite suffering a dismal early exit from Europe, Inter clinched both domestic trophies for the first time since 2010 by adding a 10th Coppa Italia to their 21st Scudetto.

The Nerazzurri swept aside all challengers to finish 11 points clear of distant runners-up Napoli, rattling in goal after goal en route to the league title.

While starting the process of a major squad rebuild, Cristian Chivu's first year as head coach proved a considerable success, and his team are favourites to top the table again.

Now building towards an opening game against newly promoted Monza on August 22, Inter started pre-season by thrashing little SV Aasen 16-0 during their training camp in Germany.

Then, when apparently bound for defeat, Chivu's side somehow beat Karlsruher 2-1 in their second summer friendly, with Andy Diouf bagging a late brace inside second-half stoppage time.

Tougher tests await: after meeting Man City, the Nerazzurri must face down domestic rivals AC Milan and Juventus in Australia before competitive action gets back under way.

Inter Milan pre-season form:

W W

Team News

Maresca selected a 28-man squad for Man City's brief Asian tour, minus any players who featured in the World Cup quarter-finals or beyond.

As a result, Haaland, Guehi, Nico O'Reilly, Jeremy Doku, Rayan Cherki and big-money buy Elliot Anderson are all unavailable, as is Golden Ball winner and Real Madrid target Rodri.

While the latter is sidelined following back surgery, Jack Grealish continues his recovery from a foot injury sustained while on loan at Everton last season.

Among several youngsters hoping to make their mark are summer signing Jeremy Monga, England Under-21s striker Divin Mubamba and teenage winger Ryan McAidoo.

Of course, John Stones has finally left Manchester after a golden spell at the Etihad; though the England defender is set to sign for Inter, he currently remains on holiday.

Chivu has already secured Aleksandar Stankovic, who was re-signed from Club Brugge after an impressive 2025-26 campaign, and Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel. The latter will vie with Josep Martinez to become the Nerazzurri's new number one, after Swiss veteran Yann Sommer departed.

Inter are also missing a number of senior players post-World Cup - such as captain Lautaro Martinez - so Mattia Marello, Leonardo Bovio and Jamal Iddrissou all started against Karlsruher.

A potential replacement for Real Madrid-bound Denzel Dumfries on the right wing, Diouf has scored twice in both pre-season contests so far.

Manchester City possible starting lineup:

Donnarumma; Lewis, Reis, Khusanov, Ait-Nouri; Gonzalez; Savinho, Reijnders, Foden, Monga; Mubamba

Inter Milan possible starting lineup:

Martinez; Bisseck, Bovio, Augusto; Diouf, Barella, Zielinski, Stankovic, Dimarco; Iddrissou, Esposito

We say: Manchester City 1-2 Inter Milan

In other circumstances, Man City should have the edge over Inter, but the Scudetto holders are deeper into their pre-season schedule and will benefit from greater match-fitness.

A front-footed team under Chivu, they can take the game to a youthful City side and record another warm-up win.

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