The pre-match billing of the 2023 UEFA Champions League final was one of David vs Goliath as Manchester City got set to face Inter Milan in Istanbul.
Man City, having already conquered England with their third straight Premier League title plus an FA Cup trophy as well, were searching for a famous treble, looking to put a gold star on top of an already historic season.
Inter, meanwhile, had secured the 2023 Coppa Italia title and finished third in the Italian top flight, but the Serie A side was not considered much of a challenger to Man City's dominance.
Yet it played out in razor thin margins, as a cagey affair, with both sides making consecutive chess moves to counter the tactics of the opponent. One goal was enough to secure the trophy, as Man City emerged with their first-ever European title.
MORE: Enjoy a minute-by-minute recap of the 2023 Champions League final as City win the European title
Man City win 2023 Champions League final
Pep Guardiola and Manchester City have finally summited the mountain they began climbing seven years ago, winning the club's first European crown by topping Inter Milan 1-0 in the 2023 UEFA Champions League final.
A goal from Rodri in the 68th minute was enough to do the job, as Inter put up a true challenge but failed to find the back of the net through the match.
Man City were not as sharp as they have looked at times this season, having demolished European blue bloods like Real Madrid and Bayern Munich at earlier stages of this competition, but they had just enough to lift the trophy.
Kevin de Bruyne goes off injured in first half
31-year-old Kevin de Bruyne went down on his knees right on the half-hour mark, asking for treatment after appearing to injure his hamstring.
He attempted to stay on, but looked shaken in the following minutes, and after attempting to complete a sprint on the ball and send in a cross, he knew he couldn't continue. The Belgian signaled to the bench that he needed to be substituted off.
MORE: Latest on Kevin de Bruyne injury after forced to depart Champions League final early
It's the second Champions League final that de Bruyne has been forced off due to injury, after having to depart the 2021 match in the 60th minute after a collision with Antonio Rudiger.
Both sides struggle to create chances through 60 minutes
Through the opening hour of the match, there were just four combined shots on target between the two teams as there was very little quality on either side of the game.
Erling Haaland had the biggest chance of the first half as the Norwegian was stymied by Andre Onana from a tight angle down the left. Lautaro Martinez had a similar chance in the 55th minute, but he too was blocked off by Ederson who came off his line to close down the Inter striker.
The injury to de Bruyne certainly had an effect on the City buildup, but in truth it was cagey even prior to his departure.
Rodri gets breakthrough goal for Man City
Finally, the moment the game was begging for came in the 68th minute as Rodri smashed home the opening goal of the match, putting Man City in front.
A vertical ball to Bernardo Silva unlocked the Inter defensive line, and his cross from the byline clipped off Alessandro Bastoni into no-man's land inside the top of the penalty area. With nobody in the area, Rodri pounced, charging onto the loose ball and blasting a shot that curled around two Inter defenders and into the back of the net, as Andre Onana was rooted to the spot.
The goal was exactly what was needed to open up the game, and both sides pushed forward to change the game from that point.
Watch in USA
RODRI WITH THE BIG BREAKTHROUGH IN THE #UCLFINAL. pic.twitter.com/sQBFFDg9VK
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) June 10, 2023Watch in UK
Man City lead in the Champions League final!! 🤩
Rodri breaks the deadlock to score a massive goal for his club! ⚽️#UCLfinal pic.twitter.com/DyTitSzOyu
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) June 10, 2023Lukaku misses yet another big chance
Romelu Lukaku has made a habit of missing huge chances in big games over the past few seasons, and it happened again on maybe the biggest stage of them all.
The former Manchester United star had a cruel own goal in the 2020 Europa League final with Inter in defeat to Sevilla, and then suffered an outrageous string of misses with Belgium in the 2022 World Cup at the end of their eventual defeat to Croatia in the group stage.
He had two more moments to forget in this match, first standing in the way of Federico Dimarco's diving header in the 70th minute and blocking it on the goal mouth. Then minutes later he somehow headed straight at Ederson with a huge chance on the doorstep.
Dimarco's header had a 0.53 xG mark, confirming just how big a moment it was, and then Lukaku's header was worth 0.56 xG. Inter should have scored with one of those chances, but they both went begging.
Man City (0.95) 1-0 (2.07) Inter
— The xG Philosophy (@xGPhilosophy) June 10, 2023ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tLzOq6uippejsri%2FjZympmelqHy0u8KcnKtnnprEtHvWoaZmr5%2BjeqS0wKanoqeeqHqtscCgrJ5llp67oriMa2dra12irq95wqKrsmWZo8GmvoytqZ6anJp6s7vDq6BosaCffbrEyqidnKppoLZ4xsWnqqJvmWuw