Manchester city
Arsenal enjoyed an eight-point lead over City until mid-March but lost it at the end of April and will now look to seek revenge in Sunday's traditional curtain-raiser to the Premier League season at Wembley.
City, who won their first Champions League title in June, will kick off their 2023-24 season against runners-up Arsenal on Sunday in the traditional curtain-raiser to the Premier League season.
City have been in no rush to bolster their squad with only midfielder Mateo Kovacic signed for 25 million pounds ($31.89 million) from Chelsea as a replacement for Ilkay Gundogan.
Financial details were not revealed, but British media reported the Premier League champions have accepted an offer from the Saudi side worth 35 million euros ($38.53 million) plus five million in add-ons.
Al Ekhbariya said on Twitter that Mahrez has become Al-Ahli's latest signing but did not provide further details. The Jeddah-based club have yet to make a formal announcement.
Pep Guardiola, coach of Manchester City visits Giza Pyramids, National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
Al Ahly has already booked a place in the aforementioned tournament as the winner of the CAF Champions League title in 2021 and 2023.
Gundogan will leave City after captaining the English club to the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League last season, ending a successful seven-year stint in England where he won 14 trophies, including five league titles.
"There are many. Inter are a team used not only to defend. There is a belief that Italian teams only know how to defend, but Inter can do many other things," a relaxed Guardiola told reporters on Friday.
City will be favourites against the Italian side, a situation they also found themselves in against Chelsea in the final two years ago, only to surprisingly lose.
Puyol says that while City, like Guardiola's Barcelona sides, are blessed with attacking options, they also have the same defensive discipline.
Pep Guardiola's side have wrapped up a fifth Premier League title in six seasons, beat Manchester United to win the FA Cup last weekend, and could be crowned European champions for the first time with victory over Inter in Istanbul.
"What Manchester (United) are doing in the last five or six months, they're a completely different team to what we faced at the beginning of the season," Guardiola told a press conference on Friday.
United go into Saturday's final looking to end the Premier League champions' bid for a second trophy this season, with Pep Guardiola's side in the hunt for a rare treble with a Champions League final against Inter Milan to come on June 10.
City completed the first leg of a potential treble last week by winning the Premier League title and will become the second team to claim all three trophies if they win the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League finals next month.
"Huge credit for that consistency. They're coming very close to becoming the greatest team, especially if they win the Champions League... In their form, you wouldn't want to bet against them on anything.
City, who were beaten by Real at the same stage last season, avenged that heartbreaking defeat with a brilliant performance in front of their jubilant fans, with only Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois preventing them inflicting even more damage.
The English champions dismantled the holders 4-0 with a ruthless display to secure a 5-1 aggregate win and reach the final against Inter Milan when they will bid to win European club soccer's most prestigious trophy for the first time.
Bernardo Silva's first-half double put City in control against the 14-time European champions, while an own goal by Eder Militao after the break and a late fourth from Julian Alvarez sealed the deal for Pep Guardiola's side as they avenged last year's bitter semi-final loss.
"We play for all competitions," the Spaniard said. "You have to switch and adapt. There are four games left in the Premier League and it's really important to be there and keep our destiny in our hands."
