Yet he ended the Serie A season on a run of seven goals and four assists in his past seven games. His return on loan to Inter, just a year after they sold him to Chelsea for €115m (£99m), got off to an inauspicious start, injuries limiting him to five appearances before the World Cup in November. Lukaku, too, would relish the opportunity. “Right now, I have the luxury of choice and for a manager that’s the best thing you can have.” “I haven’t settled on my midfield or defence yet either,” he said. The manager insisted on Monday that he had not made his mind up about who would start alongside Lautaro Martínez against City. His understanding of the different approaches required against diverse opponents is a big part of why Simone Inzaghi has started him in 10 Champions League games, including every knockout fixture, continuing to pick him ahead of Romelu Lukaku even as the Belgian found form. Dzeko, who moved on again to join Inter in 2021, was the first player to reach 50 goals in three of Europe’s top five leagues. There is something to be said, too, for breadth of experience. Looking back, he believes the Premier League is the hardest place for a footballer to succeed, yet also that he has improved since coming to Italy, where he discovered coaches more eager to dig into the details of how to approach specific situations on the pitch. He claimed a second title at City in 2014 but left to join Roma a year later, after finding himself squeezed to the margins of a crowded attack.

Sergio Agüero’s winner from a Mario Balotelli pass is more iconic but it could never have happened without Dzeko heading in from a corner first. How could they not remember him fondly? Dzeko played an essential role in City’s first Premier League title, his 19 goals in his first full season including the stoppage-time equaliser that made victory over QPR possible on the final day. I know that I meant a lot to the club and the fans.” So now when I see City, I’m always happy. “I know that we were a big part of the beginning of the City era which was the most important. 01:16 'We must make no mistakes': Simone Inzaghi accepts Inter face tough test in final – video

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