Boss Pep Guardiola insists Man City are worthy winners of maiden UCL title despite struggling against defensive Inter
City’s Rodri celebrates scoring in the final. Pics/AFP
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said his team were clearly destined to win their maiden Champions League title after their final victory over Inter Milan on Saturday night.
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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.
Man City skipper Ilkay Gundogan lifts the UCL trophy in Istanbul
“It’s so difficult to win it,” Guardiola told BT Sport after the nervy 1-0 win. “Be patient, I said [to the players] at half-time. You have to be lucky. [If goalkeeper] Ederson or they miss it, they [Inter] could draw. But this [title] was written in the stars. It belongs to us,” added Guardiola, who has now won the trophy thrice as coach after his triumphs with Barcelona in 2009 and 2011.
City’s victory also clinched a treble following their Premier League and FA Cup successes this season, making Guardiola only the second coach to achieve this feat with an English club after Alex Ferguson. “It’s a honour for me to be alongside Sir Alex. I got a message from him this morning on my phone that touched me a lot. It’s so nice,” he said.
City, who completed this campaign with just one loss in their last 28 matches, had suffered several near-misses in the UCL since being taken over by their Abu Dhabi backers in 2008, including a defeat by Chelsea in the final two years ago. They also lost in the semi-finals last season in dramatic circumstances to Real Madrid, following other unexpected defeats in recent years against the likes of Lyon and Tottenham. “You have to win in Europe to be considered a really good team, and we did it,” added Guardiola, 52, who also won the title as a player with Barcelona in 1992. “I don’t want us to disappear after one Champions League trophy, so we have to work harder next season and be there,” he concluded.
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