Global Courant
Istanbul, Türkiye.
Fifteen years after starting his ambitious and multi-million dollar project, the Manchester City finally has the precious ‘Orejona’ after beating the Inter de Milan.
A goal from the Spanish Rodrigo Hernandezdecided an anodyne final and delivered European glory to his compatriot Pep Guardiolawho can finally boast the third continental title in his record and a historic treble for English football.
The curse ended in this competition of the Manchester City, who burst into joy when Rodri’s shot, with just over half an hour to go, kissed the net. A delicate shipment, to save the Inter players grouped in front of the goal, but with the power to want to break down once and for all the mental barrier of this team in the most important competition.
In a duel in which the Cityclearly favorite, suffered the unspeakable and lost his brain Kevin de Bruyne due to injury in the first half, coach Pep Guardiola was also able to win his first Champions League away from Barcelona, where he had won the titles in 2009 and 2011.
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The usual 3-5-2 arranged by Simone Inzaghi, created many problems. The Italian spider web seemed to engulf the football and goals machine of the City.
Pep Guardiola’s team found difficulties and the English team’s nervousness was latent, with their Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson hesitating in some actions.
That didn’t stop the City enjoy the best chance in the early stages, with an internship on the right by Portuguese Bernardo Silva, whose shot passed close to the Italian goal.
But that opportunity City It seemed like an isolated event. The English team was not imposed. It was not the team that had won the Premier and the FA Cup and that had scored 31 goals in twelve games in the Champions League. It looked like a City unknown and nervous against a comfortable and emboldened Inter.
A genius from De Bruyne in the form of a pass to Haaland in the 27th minute that ended with the Norwegian’s shot at the body of Inter’s Cameroonian goalkeeper, André Onana, seemed to restore hope to the City.
The concern increased with the substitution of one of their key players, De Bruyne, injured, who left his place in the 36th minute to Phil Foden.
If he City had lost their Belgian player, Inter made use of theirs, Romelu Lukaku, in the 56th minute, substituting for Bosnian Edin Dzeko in attack to accompany Argentine Lautaro Martínez.
Precisely the man from Río de la Plata, who had been off until then, appeared in the 58th minute, taking advantage of a pass to the back of the City to be left alone against Ederson, but his shot was cleared by the Brazilian goalkeeper.
But football is not an exact science and when it seemed to be at its worst, without De Bruyne, the other two high-flying midfielders of the club emerged. City. Bernardo Silva made an incursion on the right and his pass to the back was finished off by Rodri to the network in minute 68.
Inter did not give up and had their best chance two minutes later, with Demarco’s strike against the crossbar. The rebound was finished off again by the Italian midfielder himself, but his attempt found the body of his teammate Lukaku.
It was the last cartridge for Inter, who will have to wait to win their fourth Champions League, in an unfortunate European season for Italian football, which also saw them lose the Europa League final to Roma and the Conference to Fiorentina.
DATA SHEET:
1-Manchester City: Ederson; Akanji, Dias, Stones, Ake; Rodri, Gundogan, De Bruyne (Foden, m.35); Grealish, Bernardo and Haaland.
0 – Inter Milan: Onana; Darmian (D’Ambrosio, m.84), Acerbi, Bastoni (Gosens, m.76); Dumfries (Bellanova, m.76), Barella, Brozovic, Calhanoglu (Mkitaryan, m.84), Dimarco; Dzeko (Lukaku, m.57) and Lautaro
