Rodri's 68th-minute smashing hit made the difference between the sides as Manchester City finally got to lift the Champions League trophy they so eagerly waited for. It is also helped them complete a sensational treble this season. Inter put up a tremendous show of themselves but for some narrow misses, they were left second-best on the evening.
The Nerazzuri started strongly, putting City under pressure and disrupting their build-up. Although, Erling Haaland ran into an opening to test Andre Onana, Inter’s defense was solid in the first half. Pep Guardiola’s men had a lacklustre performance but they found a piece of quality when Bernardo Silva's clever run set up Rodri’s strike from the edge of the box.
Before that though, Inter had a chance to take the lead as a miscommunication between Manuel Akanji and Ederson let Lautaro Martinez free in the box. However, without finding the supporting cast of Romelu Lukaku or Marcelo Brozovic, the Argentinian went for himself allowing the Brazilian shot-stopper to make the save. Lukaku got involved in two big talking points later in the game.
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After going down, Simone Inzaghi’s men almost straightway with Federico DiMarco’s header looping over Ederson hitting the crosspiece. The wing-back got a second bite of it but his effort was unintentionally blocked in front of the goal by the Belgian striker. The Chelsea loanee also saw his header saved by City’s number one in the 88th minute to end all hopes of coming back into the match.
Champions League Final 2022/23 Stats
1st
This is the first-ever Champions League triumph for Manchester City in their second final of the competition. Overall, this was their third European final.
10th
Manchester City is the first side to have won the Champions League without losing a single game in the whole season.
Twice
Pep Guardiola is the first manager in European football history to complete the treble two times. He managed to do with Barcelona in the 2008/09 season. However, the Spaniard is the first to do so with two different clubs and also the second manager to win the treble with an English side.
52
Rodri made his 52nd start of the season for Manchester City in all competitions across Pep Guardiola's managerial career after Lionel Messi in 2011-12 with 57. He capped the occasion with the final-winning goal.
First
Manchester City’s Ilkay Gündogan became the first German to captain a non-German side in a Champions League or European Cup final.
Third
Manchester City’s Manuel Akanji became the third Swiss player to start a Champions League final joining Stephan Lichtsteiner for Juventus in 2015 and Stéphane Chapuisat in 1997 final for Dortmund.
57
Lautaro Martínez played his 57th match in 2022/23, considering all competitions, a season record for an Inter outfield player in the Nerazzurri's history since 1929/30.
Argentinian fame
Julian Alvarez became the first player to win the World Cup and also the treble for his club in the same season. All at the age of 23. He is also the youngest to win the Champions League, Premier League and World Cup in the same period.
Centurion
Manchester City have now scored 100 plus goals more than they've conceded in three of the last five seasons. Prior to manager Guardiola’s arrival, no English top-flight side had ever scored 100+ more than they had conceded in a single campaign.
Six
Manchester City became the sixth team from England to win the European Cup/UEFA Champions League after Aston Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Nottingham Forest. Twice as many sides as any other nation in the competition.
Unlucky Three
For the first time, three teams from the same country have lost three finals in major European competitions in the same season. Inter in the Champions League, Roma in the Europa League and Fiorentina in the Conference League finals hailing from Italy.
Tenth
Rodri became the tenth Spaniard to score in a Champions League final. That’s at least three more than any other nation in the competition history.
Just two
Only two players in English football history, Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland, have won the top-flight league title, the European Cup while finishing as top scorer in both competitions and being named FWA Footballer of the Year all in the same season.
The Second
Scott Carson, Manchester City’s third-choice keeper, became only the second player to win the Champions League with two different English sides after Daniel Sturridge. He also won it with Liverpool 18 years ago in Istanbul itself.
The Youngest
At 18 years and 201 days old, Rico Lewis is the youngest Englishman to win the UEFA Champions League.
Stunning
For the first time since 2012, a side has won the Champions League without a Croatian player in their side.
