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• Erling Haaland aware of the weight of Man City’s Champions League expectations

  Erling Haaland admits the pressure is on as he prepares for Manchester City’s Champions League date with destiny.

  The Premier League winners face Inter Milan on Saturday night bidding to claim the European crown for the first time.

  Victory would not only end years of frustration and near-misses in pursuit of the continent’s top club prize but complete a glorious treble.

  City’s outstanding season, which has also included winning the FA Cup as well as a fifth domestic league title in six years, has been fuelled by the goals of Haaland.

  The prolific Norwegian has scored 52 times in an outstanding first season at the Etihad Stadium and is well aware the club hope he proves the final piece in their jigsaw.

  “Of course I feel pressure,” the 22-year-old said. “I would lie if I said I didn’t.

  “It’s true – they won the Premier League without me, they won every trophy without me. So I’m here to try to do a thing that the club has never done before and I’ll do my best.”

  Winning the Champions League is also the chief reason manager Pep Guardiola was brought to the club.

  Victory for him would end a 12-year wait to reclaim the trophy since the second of his two triumphs as Barcelona boss.

  “It’s absolutely a dream,” said the Catalan. “What has happened in the past is in the past. It’s an incredible competition.

  “Inter Milan is bigger than us in terms of history but what’s important is at 10pm Istanbul time we do the best performance possible and that can make the difference.”

  Playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, who left the field injured in City’s final defeat to Chelsea two years ago, admits winning the competition has become an obsession as well as a dream.

  “Maybe it’s both,” said the Belgium international. “Every professional player wants to win the Champions League and be on top.

  “If you can win the Champions League, you’ve reached one of the biggest things you can.”

  City have a fully-fit squad for the clash at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium, which was also the venue for Liverpool’s remarkable victory in 2005.

  Nerves and tension are likely to increase in the build-up to the match but defender Ruben Dias feels the team are ready to thrive in such circumstances.

  “We love the pressure, we love it,” he said. “The pressure will make you run faster, jump higher, be more focused.

  “That’s what these kind of games need and we need to embrace it. It’s another time for all of us to step up to the occasion.”

• Kevin De Bruyne and Pep Guardiola: Champions League is City dream and obsession

  Pep Guardiola and Kevin De Bruyne admit winning the Champions League has become both a dream and an obsession for Manchester City.

  City stand on the brink of glory as they prepare to face Inter Milan in the final in Istanbul on Saturday.

  Guardiola’s side are strong favourites for a game that could not only see them crowned European champions for the first time but complete the treble.

  The Premier League winners are hoping to put years of frustration behind them after several near misses in their pursuit of the prize they covet most.

  De Bruyne gave his feelings on the matter when he was asked if victory was a “dream” or an “obsession” as City held a pre-match press conference at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium on Friday.

  “Maybe both, it depends who you ask,” said the Belgium playmaker. “Every professional player wants to win the Champions League and be on top.

  “If you can win the Champions League, you’ve reached one of the biggest things you can.”

  “To compete every year is amazing, and I’ve been able to compete against the best, but we’ve got a chance to close that if we are good enough.”

  City have reached the knockout stages of the tournament in each of Guardiola’s seven seasons as manager but they are yet to fulfil their ambition.

  Their runners-up finish two seasons ago, when they were beaten by Chelsea in the final, is the closest they have come.

  Guardiola, who won the competition twice as Barcelona boss, said: “It’s absolutely a dream, yes.

  “To achieve things you always have to have the correct proportion of obsession and desire.

  “It’s a positive word for the desire and will to win it. It is of course a dream for us.”

  City’s outstanding season has been fuelled by the goalscoring of Erling Haaland.

  The prolific Norwegian has netted 52 goals in an outstanding first campaign at the Etihad Stadium.

  Haaland admitted this week has was brought to City to win the Champions League and Guardiola – whose two previous successes came in tandem with Lionel Messi at Barcelona – hopes he proves the final piece of the jigsaw.

  Asked what he would advise managers hoping to emulate his achievements, Guardiola said: “Have good players – have Messi, have Haaland. This is my success. I’m not joking.

  “Every manager who has had success has had strong institutions and exceptional players. I’ve never scored a goal as a manager.”

  Haaland actually goes into the game having scored just once in his last seven outings but this is not a concern for Guardiola.

  “I don’t have doubts,” he said. “If you have doubts about Erling scoring you are a very lonely person.

  “Tomorrow he will be ready to help us win the Champions League.”

  Haaland has formed a potent attacking partnership with De Bruyne.

  De Bruyne was cheekily asked at the press conference if it had been “love at first sight” between the pair.

  De Bruyne said: “No. I’m happy with my wife!”

  Elaborating more, he added: “You have a feeling with a player and I understand what he wants. It clicked really well. He’s scored at an incredible rate and settled really easily.”

  De Bruyne has been chasing Champions League success with City since 2015.

  He said: “We have been consistent, we have been good enough, but we need to find a way to win the first one. It would be immense for the club and the fans, something amazing.”

• We love the pressure – Ruben Dias confident Man City will thrive in final

  Ruben Dias is confident Manchester City will thrive on the pressure in the Champions League final.

  The City defender has no doubt his team-mates will step up to the challenge as they face Inter Milan in Istanbul on Saturday.

  City have already claimed the domestic double after an outstanding late-season charge and they now stand just one win away from becoming European champions for the first time.

  Dias said: “We love the pressure, we love it. The pressure will make you run faster, jump higher, be more focused.

  “That’s what these kind of games need and we need to embrace it. We enjoy the moment and we know what it means to our club, the fans, our families and we never forget to enjoy it.”

  After an inconsistent spell either side of the World Cup, City hit form in the spring to reel in Arsenal at the top of the Premier League and retain their title.

  They then powered through to the Champions League final with stunning victories over Bayern Munich and holders Real Madrid.

  After beating rivals Manchester United to win the FA Cup last weekend, momentum seems very much to be on their side.

  Dias said: “I’ve been saying this for a long time – when we get to February and the decisions come up, that’s the sweet spot.

  “You can see the character of a team when you arrive on these stages, you can see whether a team wants to move forward or starts hiding.

  “Since that moment we’ve been showing up every time and tomorrow will be no different. It’s another time for all of us to step up to the occasion.”