Man City climbed to the pinnacle in their own way, just as they were always going to

Perhaps it was always meant to be this way in Istanbul. In a sprawling city that straddles two continents and lives off its chaotic, consuming energy, a football club that has embraced just about every emotion possible reached the pinnacle while threatening to fall back to earth throughout. They were never going to make it look easy.

But Manchester City are champions of Europe. Somehow. Deservedly. Forgettably and unforgettably. Five minutes before midnight on a sultry Istanbul evening, the dream became a reality.

City fans had travelled to one of the continent's furthest outposts in their thousands to witness a coronation and a coronation is what they got. Nobody connected to City will want to relive the football produced at the Ataturk Stadium, but the celebrations are another matter.

This was City's dream and their obsession on the line. This was City's treble on the line. This was everything to them and five minutes before midnight on the banks of the Bosphorus, they had scaled their Everest.

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As the final whistle blew Pep Guardiola, who more than anyone has lived every minute of this club's desire to win this competition, marched down the touchline to embrace his opposite number Simone Inzaghi. All around him, bedlam ensued.

The staff and substitutes swarmed the pitch. The players, who had just been defending one last corner, raced to their supporters, but Ilkay Gundogan and Erling Haaland collapsed to the turf before they had even reached halfway line.

Guardiola returned for an embrace with his staff. There were hugs for Rodolfo Borrell and Manel Estiarte. Five minutes later his face was red from the tears that were now as