Pep Guardiola gave an emotional interview on live TV after securing his first Champions League title in 12 years: “This f***ing trophy is so difficult to win."
City edged out Inter 1-0 in an uneventful Champions League final in which Rodri’s second half strike was enough to separate the two sides. It was an attritional game where the Italian side’s tactics nullified Guardiola’s side.
The tight nature of the game favoured Inter more than City, who managed just seven attempts on goal and four on target – compared to 14 and five for their opponents respectively. It was far from a vintage City performance, but finals are remembered for the results and not performances.
It was the first time that City have won Europe’s premier club competition and while this was Guardiola’s third success – having lifted the trophy twice at the start of his coaching career with Barcelona – his last triumph was back in 2011.
That 12-year wait has been a long one for the coach, with multiple near misses since. The most painful loss was the final defeat to Chelsea two years ago in Porto, while City contrived to throw away a 5-3 aggregate lead over Real Madrid going into the last minute of regulation time of last season’s semi-final.
Speaking to BT Sport after the match, an exhausted Guardiola happily proclaimed: “I am tired, calm, satisfied of course. This f***ing trophy is so difficult to win. Its impossible.”
The City boss added of the difficulty of the game: “It was not going to be any different. Inter are really, really good. Antonio Conte is a very similar style. They find the strikers. They link really well. They keep the ball. We were so anxious.
“John Stones was the free man and we could not find him. But we had to be patient. We were a goal down in Porto but not tonight. We had to be lucky.”
Guardiola continued: “They could have drawn this game. Maybe Phil Foden could have scored again. It could have been either way. This competition is a coin toss.”
It concludes a long and emotional season for City, who capped an incredible and historic treble having already secure the Premier League and FA Cup trophies. “We defend a little bit better in the box now,” Guardiola explained, when asked how this City team was better than recent editions.
“We have four proper defenders in the box, even when we make mistakes we are solid. Tonight we were not bad, a little anxious maybe. But when you have the momentum of winning the league and cup, it finishes here.”
