The decisive moment came in the 68th minute when Rodri scored the winning goal, separating the two sides. This triumph added to Manchester City's earlier successes in the Premier League and FA Cup, making it a remarkable season with three major trophies.
This achievement also places Manchester City in an elite group of European clubs, becoming only the eighth team to secure a continental treble. They are the first English team to accomplish this feat since Manchester United's memorable achievement in 1999. Furthermore, it marked the first time that Manchester City clinched the prestigious Champions League title, solidifying their status as the premier team in European football.
Inter Milan, who last won the European Cup in 2010, put up a strong fight throughout the cagey match and had opportunities to equalize late in the game. Despite falling just short, Inter enjoyed a successful season, securing the Italian Super Cup and Coppa Italia titles, in addition to finishing third in the Serie A table.
One noteworthy team news was Kyle Walker's absence from Manchester City's starting lineup, as fit-again Nathan Ake was preferred over the England international.
The match saw Erling Braut Haaland getting an early chance to score for Inter, but he missed from a narrow angle, and an offside flag was raised shortly after. Manchester City came close to breaking the deadlock in the fifth minute when Bernardo Silva aimed for the top corner, but the ball narrowly missed the far post, issuing a warning to Inter.
Inter posed a threat in the 10th minute when Federico Dimarco delivered a dangerous cross into the Manchester City box, but Ruben Dias produced an excellent headed clearance to deny Edin Dzeko. Marcelo Brozovic had a chance for Inter in the 21st minute, but his shot went over the crossbar.
In the 26th minute, an errant pass from Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson provided Nicolo Barella with a shooting opportunity, but the Inter midfielder missed the target from a difficult angle. Manchester City's first serious chance came in the 27th minute when Haaland broke into the penalty box, but Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana made a smart save to deny him.
Onana then thwarted a long-range effort from Kevin De Bruyne, as Manchester City began to gain momentum after a strong period for Inter. Unfortunately, De Bruyne had to be substituted due to a hamstring issue, with Phil Foden replacing him in the 36th minute.
Towards the end of the first half, Manchester City had more possession but struggled to create clear-cut chances. Manuel Akanji had the best opportunity but fired his shot over the crossbar from distance in stoppage time. Overall, Inter would have been pleased with their performance in the opening 45 minutes.
The second half started with the referee allowing the game to flow despite some questionable challenges. Inter displayed their frustration, but they remained comfortable in general play, making it challenging for Manchester City to find their rhythm.
Hakan Calhanoglu had a powerful shot blocked outside the Manchester City box in the 55th minute. Inter then made a substitution of their own, replacing the injured Dzeko with Romelu Lukaku. In the 59th minute, Inter had a chance to take the lead when a mistake from Ederson presented Lautaro Martinez with a shooting opportunity, but the Argentine was unable to beat the Brazilian goalkeeper.
Dias had a header from a free kick that went over the crossbar for Manchester City, leaving the match still level heading into the final 30 minutes of normal time. However, in the
68th minute, Manchester City made the breakthrough as Rodri found the back of the net from just inside the penalty box. The Citizens appealed for a penalty, and Rodri capitalized on the opportunity, extinguishing Inter's hopes of forcing extra time through a goalless draw.
Inter came close to equalizing shortly after, with Dimarco hitting the crossbar with a looping header that unfortunately struck his own teammate, Lukaku. Lukaku then tested Ederson with a low drive in the 73rd minute, while Onana denied Foden's strike in the 78th minute.
Ederson made a crucial save in the 88th minute, denying Lukaku's point-blank header that seemed destined to level the scores. Inter continued to pressure Manchester City in the closing stages, with Barella firing wide in stoppage time and Dimarco forcing another impressive save from Ederson. However, despite their efforts, it was not meant to be for Simone Inzaghi's side, who fell agonizingly short on the night.
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