Champions League Final Report: Manchester City 1 – 0 Internazionale

Macdara Ferris report from the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul

Pep Guardiola secured the treble for his Manchester City side as he also secured a treble of Champions League managerial titles of his own – adding to the two won while at Barcelona.

Rodri proved the match winner in the 68^th minute for his team as City won the hard way – without the injured Kevin De Bruyne for nearly an hour – battling a resolute Inter Milan side who withstood the best that the English champions could throw at them until Rodri’s rocket.

There was the usual fireworks above the stadium for the Champions League opening ceremony – sorry Kick Off Show – but on the pitch it was a tight enough affair. This was hardly surprising based on Inter’s five at the back approach but they had their spells in the first half.

However, the major moment of the first 45 was the withdrawal due to injury of Kevin De Bruyne in the 36^th minute with Phil Foden coming on in his place. It stunned the City fans who were outsung by the Inter tifosi throughout the game and it came at a time when City were getting on top.

Maybe the unsettled Ederson who was playing in front of the City end of the ground instilled some nervousness into the Sky Blue supporters. The goalkeeper made a trio of unforced errors before the half hour mark.

Two with his feet – hitting one lateral pass out on the full and another straight to Inter skipper Marcelo Brozovic who couldn’t capitalise on the mistake – and a third blunder when he allowed Lautaro Martinez stop the ball from going out of play.

It was Pep Guardiola’s men though who should have held a half time lead based on the chances they created. Bernardo Silva had swept a left foot shot just by the post on five minutes. Andre Onana did superbly to save from Haaland when he raced onto a De Bruyne through ball.

The Norwegian striker unleashed a left foot effort that Onana saved with a low left hand. In first half injury time Manuel Akanji saw sight of goal but blazed over. The Italians did have some opportunities but Brozovic couldn’t find the target with the best of them.

Guardiola began the second half gesturing to his team’s supporters to raise the noise levels but it was a couple of hefty tackles – one on Martinez that the ref let go and another on Grealish that Szymon Marciniak did call back much to the disappointment of Inter. However, City's subsequent free kick was no danger.

Dzeko lasted little more than ten minutes of the second half with Romelu Lukaku his replacement, coming on to a chorus of boos from the City fans.

Nearly as soon as he entered he should have been given the chance to score. However when Martinez got on end of a very loose back pass he shot at Ederson when Lukaku was on the edge of six yard box screaming for it.

Just after the hour, City broke with Silva and John Stones down the right with the Englishman’s cross almost deflected into the Inter net off Alessandro Bastoni. The pulling and pushing for the subsequent corner from Grealish ended up with a free out to Inter.

The Italian side’s defending had been what was needed - keeping Erling Haaland relatively quiet - but they got pulled apart in the 68^th minute down the right through Manuel Akanji and Bernardo Silva. The latter’s pull back from the end line found the onrushing Rodri and he blasted a right foot effort into the goal.

Frederico Dimarco came as close as possible to equalise soon after. His header looped over the outstretched hand of Ederson but back off the bar to Barella. His diving header was on target but it hit the back of Lukaku's leg. What a let off for City.

Foden’s run right through the centre should have been rewarded with City’s second but Onana, diving to his left, saved cleanly from the England international.

The luckless Lukaku looked like his late header was the equaliser but Ederson reaction save with his leg ’s proved crucial.

The noise in the stadium at the end was all from the City supporters and it would be a 'treble yell' that would echo around the Ataturk Olympic Stadium when Ilkay Gundogan got his hands on the trophy.

The long petro-dollar filled journey to win the Champions League has finally ended for Manchester City. 

Manchester City: Ederson; Manuel Akanji, Rúben Dias, Nathan Ake; Rodri, John Stones (Kyle Walker 83);  Bernardo Silva, Kevin de Bruyne (Phil Foden 36), Ilkay Gundogan, Jack Grealish; Erling Haaland.
Subs not used: Stefan Ortega, Scott Carson, Aymeric Laporte, Riyad Mahrez, Cole Palmer, Kalvin Phillips, Julian Alvarez, Maximo Perrone, Sergio Gomez, Rico Lewis
Booked: Erling Haaland (90), Ederson (90).

Internazionale: André Onana; Matteo Darmian (Danilo D'Ambrosio 84), Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Bastoni (Robin Gosens 76); Denzel Dumfries (Raoul Bellanova 76), Nicolo Barella, Marcelo Brozovic, Hakan Calhanoglu (Henrik Mkhitaryan 84), Federico Dimarco; Edin Dzeko (Romelu Lukaku 56), Lautaro Martinez.
Subs not used: Alex Cordaz, Samir Handanovic, Milan Skriniar, Stefan de Vrij, Roberto Gagliardini, Joaquin Correa, Kristjan Asllani.
Booked: Nicolo Barella (59), Romelu Lukaku (82).

Referee: Szymon Marciniak (Poland).

Attendance: 72,000 (estimate)
extratime.com Player of the Match: Rodri (Manchester City)

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