By Isaac Daniel
English football champion, Manchester City of England, has finally win her first Champions League, following their 1-0 defeat of close rivalry, Inter Milan of Italy, in finals played on Saturday night in Istanbul, Turkey.
It was a historic night for English team as they completed their dream treble with the beating of Inter Milan. This feat made Man City the second English team to record a treble in European football .
It was even more blissful for ace mildfielder Gundogan, the Man City captain and first man in the team to lift the Champions League trophy to celebrates joyfully with his victorious teammates after winning the tough historic match.
He blissfully joined his colleagues for a huge loud celebration which lighted up wide eruption of celebration among the teeming Man City officials and fans at the crowded Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium.
It was a memorable historic night for Spanish footballer, Rodri, who scored the one and only goal of the match in 68th minute to secure the elusive Champions League trophy for Premier League and FA Cup Champions who grandly crowned this season with an appauble treble of trophies.
The only club to do so in Europe this season. Rodri fired a shot from the penalty box from a Bernardo Silva pass to score the winning goal. Afterwards, he slide towards the City fans stand to celebrate the goal with them.
As Man City smiled home with her first Champions League trophy, her fantastic manager, Pep Guardiola, marked a third time winner of the biggest football trophy in European football, as a football manager. He had previously lifted the trophy twice as the manager of Barcelona.
The match was keenly contested by the two finalists, Man City and Inter Milan till the end of the encounter. However, Man City earlier in the game hit a major setback when their mesmerizing and inspirational midfielder Kevin De Bruyne was injured in the first half.
In addition, Erling Haaland, their top scorer, who has netted 52 goals in all competition this season, was caged by the zealous Milan defenders. But City was not discouraged in their vision to lift the trophy. The positive minded players led by captain IIkay Gundigan Walker, Akanji, Folden, goalkeeper Ederson, Bernardo Silva, among others boldly battled Milan until they subdued them in the second half of the encounter.
This victory is so significant to City, because it marks 15 years after Abu Dhabi’s ruling family bought the team and turn it into one of the biggest and richest teams in the world presently.
City owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan was one of the august guests at the epochal match. He came to witness the City glorious place in football history. This was his only second time in the stadium to watch his team in 15 years since he bought the team. The highly elated City owner who lifted the Champions League trophy, joined the club to celebrate their worthy victory.
Inter Milan top striker, Romelu Lukaku, Federico Dimarco and others replied with his team mates to equalize the goa but their efforts was blocked by enterprising Ederson, who made so many great saves to deny Milan the trophy.
Speaking in an interview with BT Spot, City captain, Gundogan, described the night as ‘unbelievable night’, adding that he was so happy. “Difficult to put into words. I think today we made history,”
“It was clear it was going to be difficult for both teams. We weren’t our best in the first half. It was a 50-50 game. One goal made the difference as it often does in finals. We feel very fortunate it was for us.
“We knew everyone was talking about the treble. The pressure was there but I think this team is built to handle pressure in the best possible way.”, he declared.