Manchester City and Pep Guardiola have succeeded. The Citizens overcame Inter Milan 1-0 in a thrilling 2023 Champions League Final in Istanbul after years of near calls and hearing all the talking points about how they could not succeed on the major European stage.
Simone Inzaghi deserves all the praise for once again having the ideal game plan to maximize the chances for his players to win because Inter came perilously close to scoring on numerous times in the second half. But finally, the Nerazzurri were unable to win, which had been a major problem for them all season.
Manchester City Player Ratings
GK Ederson, 8.5 – His heroics were crucial to Manchester City hoisting the Champions League trophy. He made two big stops in the final minutes of the match, and he also deserves praise for coming out to catch the ball cleanly on a last-ditch free kick from André Onana that did look dangerous. Further, Ederson had a big stop earlier to deny Lautaro in the box.
CB Nathan Aké, 6.5
CB Rúben Dias, 8.0 – Made some big-time tackles and was never beaten one-on-one by either Lautaro Martínez or Romelu Lukaku. Rúben Dias was sensational throughout the 2022/23 Champions League season and deserves so much praise for all that he gives to Manchester City.
CB Manuel Akanji, 7.0
DM Rodri, 9.0 – A sublime finish to win the game for City, using two Inter defenders to swerve the ball and give Onana no chance at saving it. Rodri has been brilliant all season long at creating chances, threatening from range, and providing world-class defense. His passing and overall reading of the game were sublime. Rodri was the difference for City in this final.
DM John Stones, 8.0 – Another tremendous performance in midfield. Screened for the defense, progressed play in tight spaces up the middle, and played a nearly flawless passing game. Stones has matured into one of the best players in the world and a real chess piece for Pep Guardiola to utilize in the tactical battle for control.
AM İlkay Gündoğan, 7.0 – A professional display from the captain, who recorded two tackles and two interceptions to help Inter control the midfield for most of the match.
AM Phil Foden, 6.0 – Came in early for an injured Kevin De Bruyne. He wasn’t bad by any means and worked hard off the ball, but Foden ultimately didn’t look his sharpest in the attacking third.
LW Jack Grealish, 7.0 – The left winger was always in the battles and worked hard for the team on both ends of the pitch. Grealish isn’t talked about as much as Erling Haaland or De Bruyne, but he has a case for being City’s most consistent attacking contributor in the current UCL campaign.
RW Bernardo Silva, 6.0
ST Erling Haaland, 5.0 – Not at his best, Haaland cut a frustrated figure and wasn’t able to create enough pockets of space for himself against an organized Inter defense.