This quest was both his “dream” and his “obsession”. So on Saturday June 10, after his team’s victory in the Champions League final against Inter Milan, on the night of Istanbul, Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola, relieved, could finally let his joy burst . Largely favorites on paper, his men won with difficulty against the Italians (1-0).
Twelve years later, here is the Catalan technician on the roof of Europe again. It is also the first time in its history that the team from the north of England have won the competition. The culmination of long and patient work for a team built with the colossal resources of the Abu Dhabi investment fund, which bought the club in 2008.
First in their group in the fall of 2022, Manchester City had produced several demonstrations during their journey to the Champions League final: a victory (7-0) against RB Leipzig in the eighth, a success (3- 0) against Bayern Munich in the next round, before a true masterpiece, ahead of Real Madrid (4-0), defending champion, in the semi-finals.
Faced with Inter Milan, unexpected at this stage of the competition, the recent English champion and winner of the National Cup was therefore a big favorite. But it was a more uncertain scenario than expected that unfolded at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, the scene of a second Champions League final, eighteen years after the memorable 2005 edition won by Liverpool against AC Milan.
“For the past few years, we’ve been so close”
For an hour, this match looked like a game of chess, where Pep Guardiola’s armada was contained by the oiled defensive organization of Simone Inzaghi’s team. At half-time, the score was still clean, with only three shots on target attempted in total by both teams. Victim of a muscle injury during a defensive withdrawal, the Belgian Kevin de Bruyne, offensive centerpiece of the Citizens, had to give up his place in the 36th minute.
Feverish during the first act with several missed clearances, the Brazilian goalkeeper of Manchester City Ederson was going to be decisive in the second half. He first prevented Lautaro Martinez from opening the scoring for Inter shortly before the hour mark. Ten minutes later, on the contrary, it was Rodri who took over a cross from Bernardo Silva to give Manchester City the advantage (1-0, 68th).
Immediate reaction from the Nerazzurri: a lobbed header from Federico Dimarco found the crossbar. Inter continued to push and the fans were ready to celebrate the equalizer, but Ederson made a reflex save to block a header from Romelu Lukaku (88th), before a final save after added time (96th ) in front of an attempt by Robin Gosens. And in the end, this victory (1-0) for the Citizens.
“It was a game with a lot of pressure, we were a little nervous. In the first half, we didn’t play well. In the second we started well but then we gave Milan chances. They too are good, they deserved to get here, ”responded Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva at the microphone of Canal.
“In recent years we’ve been so close,” striker Rodri said, referring to a losing final against Chelsea in 2021 and a confusing semi-final against Real Madrid in 2022. In Istanbul, his side didn’t put in a great performance, but this victory marks a historic hat-trick a few days after the celebrations of the FA Cup victory and the title in the league.
