Pep Guardiola’s men claimed the Premier League title for a fifth time in six seasons with three matches to spare, while Ilkay Gundogan’s brace at Wembley secured a 2-1 victory over Manchester United in the FA Cup final.
And the final piece of the puzzle fell into place in Istanbul, with Rodrigo’s second half strike enough to overcome a stubborn Inter side and see us named European Champions for the first time.
For former City defender Onuoha, it was another example of our ability to grind out results even if we fall below our usual standards – an essential quality for any title-winning team.
“We’ve seen some games like against Real Madrid where they were nearly perfect, had the ball for so long and obliterate a team,” he explained during our special Matchday Live show covering Monday’s trophy parade.
“But we’re also seeing them win 1-0 here there and everywhere. They can find a way if things aren’t going well.
“I was speaking to Rodrigo after the game, and he said his first half performance was bad. He said: ‘I need to get better in the second half’, and he did that.
“When the pressure was at its highest and he needed to do something, how’s the winner for you? It’s not too bad is it.”
Focusing on Rodrigo, Onuoha’s fellow Matchday Live guest Paul Dickov described the midfielder as the standout individual in what has been a remarkable 18 months for the Club.
For the former City striker, the Spaniard’s crowning moment in Istanbul was just rewards for the quality and guile he’s shown on a regular basis both this season and before.
He said: “It wasn’t his best game, especially in the first half.
“For me, consistently over the past eighteen months to a season he’s been our best player, without a shadow of a doubt.
“He’s the one player if you take out, I think we miss more than anything else.
“Particularly scoring in the Champions League final and getting man of the match, you’re going to take it.”
