Manchester City won their first-ever Champions League title and became only the 10th team in history to complete the treble with a 1-0 win over Inter Milan at Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium on Saturday.
It was City’s unsung midfield guardian Rodri who stepped up when City needed him most to settle a scrappy, evenly matched final with a precisely struck finish from the edge of the penalty box midway through the second half.
With the victory, Man City have finally ended what coach Pep Guardiola admitted was an “obsession” to lift a first Champions League crown after so many near-misses since a 2008 takeover by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan propelled them into the sport’s elite.
In doing so, the Premier League and FA Cup winners, become the eighth different club and only the second-ever English team — after local rivals Manchester Untied in 1999 — to claim a historic treble.
Undefeated in four months and conquerors of holders Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinals, Man City went into the game as overwhelming favourites.
But Inter, looking for a cup double after lifting the Coppa Italia, gave City all they could handle. And Simone Inzaghi’s side twice came agonisingly close to equalising, first when Federico Dimarco looped a header against the crossbar and saw his follow-up blocked by teammate Romelu Lukaku and then when Ederson somehow blocked Lukaku’s header from six yards out late on.
But it was City and Guardiola — previously winner of two Champions League titles with Barcelona — who held onto celebrate and hold aloft the European Cup.
City were frustrated in the first half by the Italians, who worked tirelessly to disrupt their rhythm and also caused some problems in attack.
Norwegian goal-machine Erling Haaland had City’s best chances with an early effort over the bar and then a low shot blocked by keeper Andre Onana from Kevin De Bruyne’s pass.
City’s problems mounted when playmaker De Bruyne was forced off in the 36th minute with a leg injury and was replaced by England midfielder Phil Foden.
De Bruyne was also forced off injured when City lost to Chelsea in the final two years ago.
Inter, who were facing City for the first time, were bidding to become European champions for the fourth time.
They continued to frustrate City in the second half, before Rodri’s crucial breakthrough in the 68th minute left Inter unable to respond.
Information from Reuters was used in this report.
