Walker: We won’t be overawed this time

KYLE WaLKEr vowed that experience will pull Manchester City through to complete the treble after they were left overawed at the 2021 Champions League final.

City struggled to impose themselves against Chelsea, losing to Kai Havertz’s goal on a night when Pep Guardiola’s team selection was heavily criticised. But there is a wave of optimism around the City camp this week as they gear up to face Inter, with Walker believing they are more primed this time around. ‘We’ve been there,’ said the defender, who missed training on tuesday with sore back.

‘When you walk out, hear the anthem playing and see the cup — these are the things when you walk out and you are not really expecting it you think, “Oh my gosh, it’s actually happening now”. ‘Now when you walk out you know you’ve experienced these things before. ‘I don’t think any great team goes straight to the final and wins it. I think you always have to go through setbacks, those nearly games, those losses.’ City’s England stars had no chance to gather their thoughts two years ago, going straight into the European Championship camp. there they linked up with Ben Chilwell, reece James and

Mason Mount, who had just beaten them in Porto.

‘It was hard seeing all the Chelsea boys there,’ Walker added. ‘You say congratulations to them because they are your team-mates now but it was tough. It’s part of your career that everything is not always going to go swimmingly well.’

Victory will see City match the feat of Manchester United in 1999 and Walker admitted that is a motivating factor. ‘that United team, along with the Invincibles, are probably up there with the best of all time,’ he said.

‘I think what we and Liverpool, to a certain extent, have done for the last number of years, we should be in consideration.

‘But United have got the big Champions League trophy that we can never say we have got.’