"I love the way Guardiola reinvented the team during the season"

Former Manchester City defender Danny Mills believes his old club will come out on top against Chelsea in the Champions League final in Portugal.

Mills, who was a guest on this week's Racing Post YouTube show Different League in association with Betfred, expects a tight tussle before the Premier League champions add a first European Cup into the Etihad trophy cabinet.

The ex-England player said: "If City play to their best and Pep Guardiola does not over-think things they should beat Chelsea.

"We have seen Pep do that before and tinker too much, first at Bayern Munich and then with City in the Champions League and it has cost them. But we pretty much know what they will do this time with the false nine in attack.

"Whether it's Phil Foden, Kevin De Bruyne or Bernardo Silva is less clear but Pep has a settled way of playing which has worked for him. Foden is going to be the star of the European Championship this summer, he could be sensational.

"It's not going to be easy - and I think Chelsea can score in the game - but I would go for City to eventually come out on top 2-1, with maybe Thomas Tuchel's side even hitting the front with the first goal.

"I expect Chelsea to come out and be on the front foot because it is the best way to beat City. You can't allow City to dominate the ball because however well you defend the fact they throw six, seven and sometimes eight players forward means they will create chances so you have to cause them problems.

"And Chelsea do have the talent to do just that - after all, they have the second best squad behind City in the Premier League. You look at the bench with Kai Havertz, Olivier Giroud, and possibly Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech and it's clear there is a lot of quality.

"It would be wrong to totally underestimate the underdogs and the one thing they have is energy in midfield with Mason Mount, N'Golo Kante, Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic, so I think they will trouble City at times.

"What Chelsea need to do is take the chances when they come and that has not always happened this season. I know Timo Werner keeps missing the opportunities which come his way but I would definitely play him against City because the pace of the German pushes John Stones and Ruben Dias back a couple of yards.

"Werner gives you something in behind which in turn creates space for the likes of Mount to play. When he doesn't score Werner is still helping the team, even if ultimately I don't see them landing a third straight win over City, who have been absolutely magnificent.

"I love the way Guardiola reinvented the team during the season, while the way he keeps all the egos in the squad happy is sensational. They could have won the league by more points as they lost a bit of focus once the title was basically wrapped up so early."

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