We face the Italian giants in Hong Kong at 12:30 (UK) on 1 August, with the match live globally on mancity.com and our official app for CITY+ subscribers.
And it’s a tie with significant history and weight, not least because of the 2023 Champions League final in Istanbul when Rodri’s second-half strike was all that separated the sides in club football’s showpiece occasion.
Just over three years on, this meeting will have a different feel to it with new managers in both dugouts and changes throughout the two squads.
However, the goals remain the same with City and Inter eyeing all trophies available to them at the start of the season.
Vieri was one of the best strikers in the world around the turn of the century, scoring 123 goals in 190 appearances for Inter between 1999 and 2005 as well as representing other Italian behemoths such as AC Milan, Juventus and Lazio.
He met City hero Shaun Wright-Phillips for a photo opportunity in Hong Kong ahead of this weekend’s encounter before reflecting on the value of pre-season clashes such as this one.
“You don’t want to lose these games because you’re playing in a stadium with up to 50,000 people,” he said.
“When people are watching and you’re playing against a big team, no one wants to lose.
“To play a few big games as part of the preparation is good so everyone can start focusing because the Italian league starts in 20 or so days so you’ve got to be ready.
“Playing against City is going to be good and important physically. It’s a big team so the thousands of fans are going to push the teams on.”
Inter come into the campaign off the back of a domestic double last time out and Vieri has promised City a difficult game in the heat and humidity of the Far East.
“Inter is a Champions League team, they don’t spend the money that the big clubs spend but they spend good,” he said.
“It’s hard to find good players but they’ve done an amazing job because Inter has reached two Champions League finals in last four years.
“The team is really strong. We’re a very strong Champions League team and we won the double last year, so it’s good for the Inter supporters.”
Having been through pre-season in each year of his long career, Vieri knows the value of putting in the hard yards now in order the reap the rewards once the competitive action begins.
“I think it’s the most important part of the season because that’s when you can work without competitive games,” he said.
“When I played, we did 30 to 40 days in a camp but now they add games in after a week. It’s the most important moment of the season when players can put petrol in the tank because the season is going to be long and you’re playing every three days.
“The more you can do the work now, the better it is.”
Watch our 2026 tour games on CITY+!
Subscribe to CITY+ now to see all three of City’s games during our 2026 pre-season tour of Asia.
We start in Hong Kong against Italian champions Inter on Saturday 1 August, with kick-off at 12:30 (UK).
After that, we go to Seoul to play a K League All-Stars side on Wednesday 5 August and then Atletico Madrid on Sunday 9 August. Both games begin at 12:00 (UK).
All three will be available to watch on mancity.com and our official app for current CITY+ subscribers globally*.
Available for £34.99 for an annual subscription or £9.99 per month, CITY+ gets you closer to the Club than ever before, with documentaries, live games and full-match replays throughout the season.
*City v Inter: Globally available except China, Italy
K League All-Stars v City: Globally available except South Korea
City v Atletico Madrid: Globally available except South Korea, Spain
