Rodrigo fires City to Champions League glory - and the Treble!

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City's top 10 Champions League goals of all time

A brilliant 69th minute strike from Rodrigo sealed a dramatic and hard fought 1-0 victory over Inter of Italy at the Olympic Ataturk Stadium to ensure Pep Guardiola’s fabulous side were crowned European champions for the first time.

On what was the greatest night in the Club’s long, proud 129-year history, victory also set the seal on the Treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League and sparked emotional scenes of unbridled joy amongst players, staff and fans alike here in Turkey.

Fittingly, for what was Pep’s 300th victory as City manager, the triumph also saw the visionary Catalan become the first manager in football history to oversee a Treble twice, with Guardiola having also led Barcelona to the unique feat in 2009.

And after a marathon season, that began way back last July, City secured the greatest prize in Club football by marrying the brand of attacking football that has been the hallmark of Guardiola’s storied seven-year Etihad reign along with a bucketful of grit and desire against an Inter side who pushed us all the way.

For Pep, it was the 14th and greatest major prize of his incredible City reign.

And for those privileged to here in Istanbul to share in the joy along with the army of City fans eagerly watching on from around the world, it was an experience no-one will ever forget.

What happened

Situated where Europe collides with Asia, the Olympic Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul made for a wonderful vibrant venue for the biggest match in Club football around the globe.

Thousands of City fans from around the world have travelled over land and sea to lend their phenomenal support and backing to Pep Guardiola’s side with Inter’s legion of fans also out in force.

It made for an awe-inspiring cacophony of noise and sound.

It was City who made the early inroads with both Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva letting fly on goal inside the first 10 minutes.

Inter though showed their mettle too with the Italians happy to mix silk and steel as they sought to disrupt City’s flow and rhythm with former Etihad favourite Edin Dzeko a real menace.

And there was a heart in the mouth moment when an attempted Ederson clearance only found Barella whose shot was fortunately miscued.

City then carved out our best chance of the game –Haaland finding a fraction of space on the left side of the box and only a smart save from Onana denying our top scorer.

The cruel and fickle nature of football then reared its head on 37 minutes when injury forced off De Bruyne for the second time in a Champions League final following his facial injury which halted his 2021 appearance, Phil Foden summoned on in the Belgian’s place.

The stop start nature of the game continued after the break with the Italians frustrating City with their overtly physical approach.

There was another score on 57 minutes when a mix up between Akanji and Ederson put Lautaro Martinez in space inside the box but Ederson did brilliantly to come out and smother the Argentine’s shot.

But City were building some momentum and finally that crucial moment if quality arrived on 69 minutes.

Bernardo was the initial architects powering into the Inter box onto a fine Akanji ball and as his cross was repelled the ball fell to the waiting Rodri on the edge of the box who thumped the a low shot home from 18 yards to spark pandemonium at the City end of the ground.

However there was another heart in the mouth moment at the other end as Dimarco hit the frame of the bar with a header after a scramble in the City box before substitute Lukaku then somehow blocked the defender’s goal bound follow up.

Phil Foden had the chance to double our advantage only to see a 12 yard shot blocked by Onana as the tension reached fever pitch.

And with time almost up Ederson then made an incredible save to deny Lukaku’s close range header when a goal appeared almost.

No one had any nerves left after a night that saw us go through all the motions with Ederson producing another stunning  save in the final seconds to secure the crown.

And it was fitting that HH Sheikh Mansour was also present here in Turkey, attending his first game in person since 2010, to bear witness to the greatest night in the Club’s history.

Teams

CITY XI: Ederson, Akanji, Stones (Walker 81), Dias, Ake, Rodrigo, Gundogan (c), De Bruyne (Foden 37), Bernardo, Grealish, Haaland

Subs: Ortega, Carson, Phillips, Laporte, Alvarez, Gomez, Mahrez, Perrone, Palmer

INTER: Onana, Darmian, Acerbi, Bastoni, Dumfries (Bellanova 74) , Barella, Brozovic, Calhanoglu, Dimarco, Martinez, Dzeko (Lukaku 55).

Subs: Handanovic, Gagliardini, de Vrij, Gosens, Correa, Asllani, Cordaz, Mkhitaryan, D’Ambrosio, Skriniar.

Men's Team

Manchester City complete historic Treble with Champions League success

What it means

City are champions of Europe and Treble winners – joining a unique list of elite Clubs to have achieved the feat of winning their domestic respective league and Cup along with the Champions League.

Yet rather than marking the end of a quest, given the hunger and desire within Pep Guardiola’s squad, this very much feels like it could be the beginning of a period of sustained success in Europe rather than marking a full stop.

The hallmark of Pep’s City has been an unquenchable desire to improve and develop and having savoured the unique of Champions League glory, City will be even more hungry to go back for more!

Success in Istanbul also means that we have qualified for next season’s UEFA Super Cup final – to be staged in Piraeus, Greece against Sevilla in August – as well as the 2023 Club World Cup – which will be held in Saudi Arabia in December of this year.

So much to savour now – and so much to look forward to next season!

Match stats

For Pep Guardiola the Champions League and the Treble also marked the manager’s 300th career win at City.

There may have been more sweeping, dominant display down the years.

But no one would deny that none would have tasted as sweet or as important as this!

100 club

Tonight’s win also meant City have scored 100+ goals more than they’ve conceded in three of the last five seasons (18-19, 21-22, 22-23).

Prior to Pep Guardiola’s arrival, no English top-flight side had ever scored 100+ more than they had conceded in a single campaign.

Another incredible stat. 

Man of the match

Many contenders but Ruben Dias put his heart and soul and body on the line as he led with a lion hearted display at the back.

John Stones and matchwinner Rodrigo were also outstanding as was goalkeeper Ederson with his second half heroics.

But Dias, as he has so often in the second half of the season was a towering and immense figure.

What a player he is. Talk about man for the big occasion - none bigger than this!

What’s next

Rest – and lots of it!

After a marathon 62 game campaign that began with last July’s Community Shield clash against Liverpool, a season never to be forgotten has finally drawn to a close.

For City it’s a time to relax, refresh and reflect on the most successful and memorable campaign in the Club’s proud 129-year history.

Before that though the players will be able to savour their success on the journey home to Manchester on Sunday before celebrating with a city centre parade in front of our fans on Monday.

Men's Team

Guardiola becomes first manager to claim two European trebles 

Pep’s reaction

“I feel tired, calm, satisfied of course. This trophy is so difficult to win.

“They were really good. They bring you up, link really well, keep it and then run for the other side.

“It was a question of being patient, I said at half-time, last time we were one down in Porto. Now it’s 0-0.

“You have to be lucky, this competition is like that, Ederson‘s save at the end, maybe Phil scores a second. This competition is a coin. It was written in the stars I think, we did it.”

Gundogan reaction

It’s an unbelievable night. It’s difficult to put into words, difficult to realise. Today we made history.

It’s a Champions League final so it was clear it was going to be difficult for both teams. We weren’t our best in the first half. We were a little bit hesitating even though we had a couple of good chances. 

We had to better. I think that’s what we did but it was probably a 50/50 goal and one goal made the difference. We feel fortunate it was for us. 

Rodrigo reaction

“I’m emotional, I mean this is a dream come true.

“All these guys deserve it. All these guys around here waiting I don’t know how many years. 20, 30, 40, I’ve been here just four, but they deserve and we deserve. 

“The last years we were so close. At the end I say when you go to this moments, finals, semi-finals at the end God gives you these present.”