Pep The Magician, As Rodri Breaks Inter Milan Resistance to Seal Manchester City’s Treble Glory
Pep The Magician, As Rodri Breaks Inter Milan Resistance to Seal Manchester City’s Treble Glory
Manchester City won their first Champions League trophy against an Inter Milan team, who were unlucky to convert their chances.
It’s a textbook City goal. Rodri latches on to a Bernardo Silva pull-back from the byline and sends an unstoppable shot fizzing into the bottom corner.
It was only about the result and City found a way to it through the force of their personality. It had become increasingly clear that one moment could be all that either side needed and City made it happen when Manuel Akanji played in Bernardo Silva up the right and when his pull-back deflected, there was Rodri, running on to the loose ball to send a low shot fizzing home.
Inter could have equalised. They should have equalised. Federico Dimarco looped a header up and against the crossbar and, when he headed again on the rebound, the ball hit his teammate Romelu Lukaku and refused to go in. Lukaku would blow a gilt-edged header from close range in the 89th minute when he simply had to score from close range, Ederson saving with his legs. It was a remarkable intervention. City’s joy knew no bounds. The keeper was called upon again in added time of added time, turning over Robin Gosens’ header from a corner in the final action.
The owner of Manchester City Sheikh Mansour, was at the attendance, his team’s Champions League final against Internazionale on Saturday evening. The sheikh was present in Istanbul as City won their first Champions league trophy against Internazionale.
Ilkay Gundogan: “Today we made history,” says City’s captain in an interview with BT Sport. “It was difficult for both teams. We weren’t at our best in the first half. We were hesitating. We knew we had to do better in the second. It was probably a 50-50 game. We feel very fortunate it was for us. We knew everyone was talking about the Treble. The pressure was there but this team is built to handle the pressure in the best possible way.”
Match report: Manchester City 1-0 Inter
Champions League final: For Manchester City, it was the crowning glory, the trophy that they have craved to complete the ultimate set,” writes David Hytner from the Ataturk Stadium.
The presentation ceremony is under way
Led by Simone Inzaghi, Inter’s crestfallen players troop up on to the podium to collect their losers’ medals. For a team that many considered to be cannon fodder, they played very well tonight and gave City plenty to think about. Romelu Lukaku will have nightmares about his late miss when, with the entire goal at his mercy from three or four yards out, he gave Ederson a chance to keep his bullet header out.
Jack Grealish is in tears: “It’s what you work your whole life for, innit?” he blubs into the microphone of BT Sport’s Jake Humphrey, a comment he seems to echo every time Manchester City win a trophy. “I’m just so happy, man,” he continues. “They played so good today and I was awful but I don’t care. To win the treble with these players and staff, it’s just so special.”
Some post-match reaction from Rodri
“I’m emotional,” says the scorer of City’s winner in a post-match chat with BT Sport. “This is a dream come true. All these guys around here, waiting 20, 30, 40 years … I have been here just four years but they deserve; I deserve. In the last years we were so close.” He goes on to blow a kiss towards heaven to thank God and says “this is a dream come true for all of us”.
Rodri on Inter: “It wasn’t easy,” he says. “I mean, what a team we faced. It was uneblievable the way they defended, the way they counter-attacked. They deserve also credit because they are a great team but I don’t want to forget about my lads. I wasn’t good in the first half, I was playing shit to be honest. And then I just said to myself you have to overcome this mentality and I scored the goal.”
