Former Chelsea coach Roberto Di Matteo has claimed that Pep Guardiola fears Italian clubs.

Guardiola’s Manchester City will take on Inter Milan in Saturday’s Champions League final.

The Premier League champions are favourites heading into the game in Istanbul, as they close in on a treble after they also lifted the FA Cup.

But Di Matteo believes Guardiola is a little bit scared of taking on Italian sides, knowing what a challenge they can pose.

He told Football-Italia: “You go to church with the whole team and pray; jokes aside, motivation makes the difference, and we had it. We were not fully fit, but convinced we could make it. Inter have the same spirit; they don’t look like a scared team.

“Guardiola is more than a coach; he is a visionary, but he knows how competitive Italians are and fears us.”