Champions of Europe: Now they can say that. Manchester City won the UEFA Champions League to wrap up a historic treble with a 1-0 win over Inter Milan in Istanbul on Saturday.
It wasn’t vintage as City as Simon Inzaghi’s Inter put up a vintage defensive display, full of bite and fury, but Rodri’s vicious strike deep in the second half put City in the driver’s seat. [ MORE: How to watch Premier League in USA ] The Premier League winners three times running had an FA Cup under their belt after beating Manchester United on June 3 and the final jewel in their treble crown arrived Saturday.
It’s the second treble for Pep Guardiola, who pulled it off with Barcelona in 2008-09. The achievement gives heated rivals United domestic company on the treble stage right down the road. 2nd minute: Inter allowing City the ball and setting up with a 2-3-3-1 shape. 7th minute: Some hard fouls from Inter on Man City, underlined by Francesco Acerbi’s sliding takedown of Erling Haaland.
Understandably just fouls but Inter opening the day daring referee Szymon Marciniak, the World Cup Final boss, to show a yellow. 12th minute: Is that a little rust from Ederson under the press of Lautaro Martinez?