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ISTANBUL. — Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said his team’s maiden Champions League title was “written in the stars” after their final victory over Inter Milan on Saturday.
Rodri’s 68th-minute strike proved enough for City to finally get their hands on club football’s biggest trophy, despite having to ride their luck as Inter missed several second-half chances.
“It’s so difficult to win it,” Guardiola told BT Sport after the nervy 1-0 win.
“They (his players) are really good. Be patient, I said at halftime. You have to be lucky. (Goalkeeper) Ederson or they miss it, they could draw. This competition is a coin.
“It was written in the stars. It belongs to us.” Guardiola has now won the trophy three times after his previous triumphs with Barcelona in 2009 and 2011.
City’s victory also clinched a treble following their Premier League and FA Cup successes this season.
“After the World Cup the team made a step forward and we were there,” added Guardiola. “We’re going to celebrate in the hotel with family and friends. Monday the parade is in Manchester. With this competition, the treble is so difficult.”
City had suffered several near-misses in the Champions League since being taken over by their Abu Dhabi backers in 2008, including a defeat by Chelsea in the final two years ago.
City’s unlikely European hero
Manchester City scorer Rodri was named Uefa’s man-of-the-match, but goalkeeper Ederson made a strong case for the award after his inspired saves kept Inter Milan at bay. Rodri’s cool finish earned City their long-awaited first Champions League title, but only after Brazilian Ederson kept them in the match with a brilliant point-blank save to deny Lautaro Martinez.
“The defeat teaches a lot, it was five years of disappointments, we were shattered, but we picked up the pieces and rebuilt ourselves. And the new pieces that arrived helped a lot too,” Ederson told Brazilian TV channel TNT Sports.
Inter were starting to cause trouble for a nervous City when Manuel Akanji delivered a hospital pass intended for Bernardo Silva and Lautaro anticipated it to go one-on-one with Ederson.
The Brazilian keeper, however, made himself big to limit Lautaro’s angles and blocked the Argentine’s strike with his body. After Rodri scored, Inter pressed for a late equaliser and Ederson made two brilliant stops at the death.
In the 88th minute, he kept out a point-blank header from substitute Romelu Lukaku and in the last play of the match, Ederson shone again as a corner was taken to the near post where Francesco Acerbi flicked the ball into the box and Ederson made a diving save moments before the final whistle.
“This year I dedicated myself a lot, worked hard, gave up a lot of things to be rewarded,” Ederson said.
“I am still in a state of ecstasy, I want to enjoy it now, enjoy it, enjoy it with my family too. Now it’s time to celebrate.” — Wires.
Online Reporter