Manchester City have finally won the Champions League and become the second English club, after their neighbours in 1999, to win the Treble.
Pep Guardiola’s team found Inter Milan a tricky prospect but Rodri’s fine goal midway through the second half, striking first-time past Andre Onana, was enough to get them over the line in front of owner Sheikh Mansour, who was in Istanbul to watch the team he purchased 15 years ago for only the second time.
Here are the talking points from a tense, nervy night that saw supporters endure pre-match chaos, Kevin De Bruyne suffer another injury and Romelu Lukaku get in the way.
Stones magic
It is too often a get out to give a man of the match award in a 1-0 match to the goalscorer. And so it proved here as Rodri got the extra piece of silverware. But it should have gone to John Stones, who excelled in his dynamic role of half-full back, half-central midfielder.
That tactical tweak in early spring coincided with City ascending to another level and he was relentless tonight when so many of his team-mates found the occasion robbed them of maximum fluency.
Double De Bruyne heartbreak
It was hard not to feel sympathy for the gifted Belgian as he departed another Champions League final early because of an injury.
In 2021, tears rolling down his cheeks, De Bruyne was substituted an hour in after having his face broken by Antonio Rudiger. This time he lasted a little more than half that amount, having hurt a hamstring. He immediately signalled to the bench that it was game over and walked slowly towards the dugout, head bowed with Erling Haaland ’s arm around his shoulder, robbed of the opportunity to provide a defining contribution on the biggest club stage of all.
Lukaku fails his redemption mission
As the game continue scoreless, the introduction of the former Manchester United striker off the bench felt like a perfect script. He could be the man to end the treble dream, 11 years on from watching as an additional squad member when his then Chelsea team lifted the trophy and he turned down a medal.
Instead he proved more of a hindrance than a help as his backside got in the way of a goalbound Federico Dimarco effort, saw a tame shot saved by Ederson from an excellent position and then in the dying moments fired high and wide from long range.
Do not expect him back at Chelsea in August.
Logistical nightmare
That the thousands of fans who made their way from Manchester and Milan were treated appallingly should not be a surprise. The Ataturk Stadium is functional and the design has character but the fact it appears to be miles from civilisation makes it a bad choice to host major events. UEFA had warned supporters to make their way to the ground nine hours before kick off, where a fan zone selling the sponsored lager from a plastic cup would help them kill time.
But even those who left Istanbul city centre with hours to spare found the journey a nightmare. The metro was an arduous experience, requiring at least three changes - potentially five if travelling from the Asian side of the city, and still largely preferable to the free shuttle buses they were being urged to use. That fans were running along the gridlocked motorway summed the inadequate infrastructure up.
Then upon arrival at the ground they were met with three security checks that were so slow-moving fans were becoming frustrated by the queues. Unsurprisingly, Salt Bae and friends had no issues waltzing through the VIP entrance. UEFA had vowed to learn lessons from last year’s horror in Paris - but tonight showed how much work is left to do.
Carson’s second medal
A shout out for Scott Carson, Manchester City ’s third-choice goalkeeper who has not played a competitive minute since a late substitutes’ appearance in March 2022. The 37-year-old, who has recently signed a contract extension, now has a second Champions League winners’ medal. The first? When he was sitting on the bench in this stadium 18 years ago when Liverpool came from three goals down to shock Milan. Nice work if you can get it.
