Josh Taylor suffered his first defeat and lost his WBO and Ring Magazine super-lightweight titles to Teofimo Lopez on points in New York.
It was the 32-year-old Scotsman’s first bout since his contentious win over Englishman Jack Catterall in February, 2022 and it was another struggle at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.
The Scot started well enough but Lopez grew in confidence and finished the fight strongly, landing some thumping shots, particularly in the second-half of the bout, which impressed the judges who declared a unanimous win for the 25-year-old Brooklyn boxer.
Steve Gray called it 115-113 as did Joe Pasquale with Benoit Roussel scoring it 117-111 for the new champion.
Afterwards Taylor, whose first loss came in his 20th fight, was magnanimous in defeat, telling Sky Sports: “No excuses. He was better on the night. It is what it is so congratulations to Teofimo.
“I would love to do it again. I know I am better than that and I know I can beat him.
“So yes, I would love to do it again but he’s the champ and the ball is in his court.”
Lopez said: “I just want to thank God first. It has been a long time coming.
“We just beat the number one champion, Josh Taylor, former undisputed champion.”
Taylor, who unified the division before vacating several titles, had started impressively.
Using his size and reach advantage, the Prestonpans southpaw delivered some accurate jabs and powerful body shots in the early rounds.
Lopez slipped to the canvas in the third and pushed Taylor to the ground in the fourth where he staggered the Scot in the final seconds of the round with a powerful shot.
Taylor came back in the next round with a clean left and right before Lopez landed a low blow in the sixth where he again finished the aggressor.
Lopez looked confident coming out for the seventh but had to absorb a couple of clean shots from the Scot before he rocked him with a right hand at the end of the round.
The home fighter indulged in some showboating in the eighth round as his confidence increased further.
Lopez’s hand speed was causing all sorts of problems for Taylor who was rocked again in the ninth round which the challenger dominated.
Taylor was clipped twice in the 11th round which ended with Lopez lifting his arms in a victory pose which the Scot replicated but less convincingly.
In the final round Taylor was again left unsteady on his feet after taking some shots with Lopez clearly believing he had won when the bell rang – the judges confirming that belief moments later.
Reigning champion jockey Dane Dawkins inched closer to rivals in the race to retain his title, as he rode a dazzling three-timer, including Perfect Brew, who dismantled the field to cop the Alsafra Trophy over a mile (1,600m) at Caymanas Park on Saturday.
Perfect Brew, conditioned by Hall of Fame trainer Richard Azan, justified favouritism, romping the three-year-old and upward Overnight Allowance race by six lengths in a time of 1:38.0. The splits were 23.4, 45.4 and 1:11.1.
The four-year-old bay gelding, who finished nine lengths behind the reigning Horse of the Year Atomica over seven furlongs (1,400m) on May 23, showed that he was better off from that run, as Dawkins rode a patient race, while Ameth Robles played catch me if you can aboard former Horse of the Year Further and Beyond.
Returning from an almost one-year break, Further and Beyond, now trained by Donovan Hutchinson, rushed to an early three length lead, which rapidly increased on the backstretch, as the rest of the field settled well off the blistering pace.
By the time Robles and Further and Beyond left the five-furlong mark and flashed past the half-mile, they were well over six lengths in front with Stomp The Rhythm (Anthony Thomas) and Marquesas (Tevin Foster), the closest pursuers at the point.
However, Dawkins made his move aboard Perfect Brew at the three-furlong point and after hitting top stride in the home stretch, they swept by a now-tiring Further and Beyond, whose lack of race fitness was well advertised, and a fighting Stomp The Rhythm, in the latter stages to win. Marquesas completed the frame.
While it was the first win of the season for Perfect Brew, it was Dawkins's 35th of the season, as he moved within 10 of leader Reyan Lewis and two shy of second-place Tevin Foster.
Dawkins earlier won aboard Jaguar in the fifth race giving newly licensed trainer Ricardo Mathie a first win from his first start. He later piloted Big Guy In The Sky to victory in the ninth race for trainer Gary Subratie.
Meanwhile, Barrington Bernard and Courtney Williams, who are also freshly licensed trainers, also won their first races. Bernard won the first race with Anngelos (Roger Hewitt), while Williams won the seventh race with Zion (Phillip Parchment).
Rory McIlroy’s bid for a third successive Canadian Open title stepped up a gear as he moved into a tie for second heading into the final round in Toronto.
McIlroy’s third round 66 leaves him two behind leader CT Pan and in a group of six players tied on 12-under-par, which includes English duo Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose.
They are joined by Americans Mark Hubbard, Harry Higgs and Andrew Novak while England’s Aaron Rai is a stroke further back after a 69 left him alongside Canada’s Nick Taylor, who broke the Oakdale Golf & Country Club course record with a 63.
Tyrell Hatton, who was tied second with Rai and Pan at halfway after a second round 64, slipped six strokes off the pace with a 72.
Victory on Sunday would make McIlroy the first player to win three consecutive Canadian Opens – over the space of five years due to Covid cancellations – and the first on the PGA Tour since Steve Stricker in 2009-11.
McIlroy fired six birdies in a blemish-free round and admitted conditions were set up for low scoring after the previous day’s rain.
“It was prime for scoring,” said McIlroy, who will chase a second US Open title in Los Angeles next week. “It’s really that back nine you need to take advantage of. But it was nice to sort of have what I felt was a cushion after playing the front nine so well.
“I’ve never won a tournament three times in a row. I felt like last year the win wasn’t just for me, it was for a few other things. But this one, this year, if I were able to get over the line, will be solely for me.”
Last year’s win came in the midst of LIV Golf’s birth while McIlroy headed into this week’s tournament having said he felt like “a sacrificial lamb” in the wake of the merger between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and the rival Saudi-backed circuit.
“For whatever reason, I seem to play better when there’s a little bit of noise going on in the world of golf,” he said.
“It’s really nice to get inside the ropes and just concentrate on my job at the end of the day, which is trying to get the ball around the golf course.”
Rose, who won his US Open title 10 years ago, shot into contention as he birdied five straight holes from the 12th and added another on the last.
Fleetwood, who is still looking for his first win in the US, would have matched the course record if it were not for Taylor’s earlier effort.
Pan, from Taiwan, birded the final two holes in a round of 66 as he chases a second tour title.
British boxer Sunny Edwards successfully defended his IBF world flyweight title for a fourth time with a unanimous decision over Chilean Andres Campos at Wembley.
The fight was judged 117-111 in the Croydon-born 27-year-old’s favour by all three judges in his first performance after signing with promoter Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom.
Edwards came out bursting with confidence and controlled the opening stages of the 12-round fight, frustrating his previously-undefeated opponent by the midway point.
But Campos, seventh in the IBF rankings, began to close the gap down the stretch, forcing Edwards onto the ropes in round eight before the Briton replied with a flurry of shots.
Campos found another gear in the 12th and final round but it was too late as Edwards closed the contest with a body blow.
Edwards, who called for a unification fight with Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, told DAZN: “I’m 27 years old. I don’t even think I’m at the peak yet.
“I think I’m still going and going, but Bam makes perfect sense. I want to be a great, I want to be perceived as a great, I want to go down as a great in British boxing history.”
Earlier in the evening, fellow Brit Ellie Scotney defeated Kiwi Cherneka Johnson to become the new IBF world super bantamweight champion with a unanimous 98-92, 98-92, 97-93 decision.
And in an all-British bout, Nina Hughes defeated Katie Healy by unanimous decision over 10 rounds to retain her WBA bantamweight world title.
Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City have earned a place among the greats after finally winning the Champions League.
City completed the treble on a glorious night in Istanbul on Saturday as they beat Inter Milan 1-0 in a hard-fought final with a 68th-minute Rodri strike.
City have dominated the domestic scene under Guardiola, winning five Premier League titles in six years as well as two FA Cups and four Carabao Cups, but European success had eluded them.
“You have to win in Europe to be considered a great team and we did it,” said Guardiola in his post-match press conference at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium.
The challenge now for City will be to build on their triumph and establish a dynasty in European football.
Guardiola said: “I don’t want to disappear after one Champions League. We have to work hard next season and be there.
“There are teams who win the Champions League and disappear. We have to avoid that.
“Knowing me it is not going to happen but it is a big relief to have this trophy.”
Guardiola paid tribute to Inter for their dogged performance and to the City hierarchy for keeping faith in him after years of near misses in the competition.
“For Inter, I must congratulate them for their performance,” he said. “I know what they feel because we felt it two years ago.
“There are no words that can handle the pain but they are the second best team in Europe and that is incredible.
“The second word is for my sporting director, CEO and chairman. Normally when you don’t win the Champions League after so many years you are sacked. How many clubs destroy the project?
“It looks like this competition this year was in the stars.
“Now is time to celebrate. I am looking forward to Monday in Manchester on our (open-top bus) with three trophies.”
City have become only the second English team, after Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United in 1999, to have won the treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup in the same season.
Guardiola said: “It is an honour from me to be alongside Sir Alex Ferguson. I got a message from him this morning and it is an honour.”
Match-winner Rodri was thrilled by the achievement.
The midfielder told BT Sport: “I’m emotional. This is a dream come true.
“It wasn’t easy. What a team we faced – unbelievable they way they defended, the way they counter-attacked. They deserve credit because they are a great team but I don’t want to forget about my lads. We did everything.
“Some of these guys are 20, 21, 22, some of them their first final, but we compete like animals.”
Defender-cum-midfielder John Stones was proud to have played his part.
Stones said: “It was the thing that we were missing and I feel so pleased. It’s a pleasure to be a part of this team, to create this history. It’s so special.”
Right-back Kyle Walker, who came off the bench, said: “I’m over the moon. I’m very rarely speechless, but my dream has just come true.”
Inter coach Simone Inzaghi felt his team could hold their heads high.
Inzaghi said: “We do have regrets because defeat is the worst thing in sport but at the same time, I have to congratulate my lads.
“They are very sad, disappointed, but they must be proud of their campaign and the final they played. We didn’t deserve to lose but we played against a top team.
“Manchester City deserve the Champions League considering what they have done in the past years.
“Tonight they played against a great Inter who cornered them, but I congratulate Guardiola. They have gone close to winning it many times but I would have liked them to wait a little bit longer.”
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand believes Pep Guardiola did not need to lead his side to an historic treble to put himself in contention for “the greatest” football manager of all time.
Rodri’s 68th-minute strike in Saturday’s 1-0 Champions League final victory over Inter Milan was enough to secure the Spanish manager a 12th major trophy with City and anoint him as the first manager to secure two European trebles, having also accomplished the feat with Barcelona in 2009.
Champions League winner Ferdinand heaped praise on the City boss using an unlikely artistic analogy to describe what he feels is Guardiola’s unmatched vision.
He told BT Sport: “Does he need this game to be recognised as one of the greatest, if not the greatest? We’re all I think in agreeance, he doesn’t even need it because of the way he sees the games. He has his teams painting pictures like we’ve never seen in my lifetime.
“(Like Picasso), Michaelangelo, however you want to do it.”
Ferdinand was equally certain Guardiola’s men, who needed several spectacular stops from Ederson to secure the European title, would never be forgotten, adding they were now: “Immortal. Statues galore.
“Listen, this team have played a brand of football that around the world is looked at, is admired. This has been a project and a process for a long time, for many years now, Pep Guardiola coming in. But these players have produced some football that is out of this world. Individually but as a collective this team will go down in history obviously.
“They deserve to. A fantastic team and they’ve dug deep when they needed to, and they’ve been able to play both sides of the game. I think that’s been the difference between this Manchester City team to past ones. They can pass, they can play the fairytale football but also when need be they can dig in, roll their sleeves up and fight through games as well. Balance is everything in this team.”
Ferdinand’s fellow pundit Joleon Lescott was part of the Manchester City side under Roberto Mancini that secured a club-first Champions League berth in 2011.
He observed a change in Guardiola over the course of a Premier League season that saw City looking up at Arsenal in the table before securing a third consecutive title and the FA Cup at the campaign’s close.
He told BT Sport: ” I think he’s been the most open and honest this season. I think it was the Spurs game when he came out and said he doesn’t recognise the team. No one’s seeing this outcome in the first half of the season. No one’s seeing a treble.
“Then he outed Kevin De Bruyne and wanted more, he did the same thing with Kyle Walker. So the relationship you have with a group of players, you can only do that if you are so close and you are genuine about your connection with a group of players.”
Cesc Fabregas, who played under Guardiola at Barcelona, recalled the days the City boss was untested in England, even drawing doubters who wondered if he could recreate his success in the English game.
Since joining City in 2016 Guardiola has led the side to five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups and a Champions League.
Fabregas told the broadcaster: “He’s a very tough manager to play for because he demands the absolute best, but the day-to-day you have fun because he has a philosophy that every player dreams of.
“We first thought, not me because I knew the way he worked first-hand, but that when he came to England he would find it difficult. Can he bring this type of play to the country?
“And everyone doubted him. But he’s a very special man, a very special person, a very special manager and I am delighted for him.”
Pep Guardiola admitted “this f****** trophy is so difficult to win” after watching Manchester City finally end their wait for Champions League glory.
Rodri’s goal secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Inter Milan in Istanbul to complete the treble derby rivals Manchester United achieved in 1999.
Asked how he was feeling after the presentation, Guardiola told BT Sport: “Tired, calm, satisfied of course. This f****** trophy is so difficult to win. It could not be different, we knew it.”
City were not at their fluent best as Inter frustrated them for long periods but they got there in the end, much to the Spaniard’s delight.
He added: “Winning this competition, the treble, is so difficult, so that’s why it’s not important the way, it’s enough to get it.”
City dominated the first half but could not find a way through Inter, and they were dealt a blow when star man Kevin De Bruyne limped off before the break.
However, Rodri’s sweet 68th-minute strike proved decisive and sparked wild celebrations on and off the pitch, though not before Federico Dimarco hit the bar and Ederson saved well from Romelu Lukaku and Robin Gosens.
Guardiola said: “At the end, Ederson, they could draw, maybe Phil [Foden] could have scored a second one. In this competition, it is [the toss of] a coin and that we were there, I think it was written in the stars. This season, it belongs to us and we did it.”
Asked what had changed about his side to finally get them over the line in Europe’s biggest club competition, the City boss said: “I think we defend a little bit better in the box with our four central defenders, who are proper defenders. We made mistakes, but I had the feeing we were solid.
“We didn’t make a bad, bad game, a little bit anxious at the start, but in general it was not bad and with the momentum we started winning the Premier League, the FA Cup and now finishing here.”
City’s momentum grew during the season after a testing start as Arsenal took the Premier League by the scruff of the neck, although they returned after the World Cup finals in determined fashion and timed their run to perfection.
Asked if it had been a frustrating start to the campaign, Guardiola said: “It was not frustrating. It was maybe not our best level, but Arsenal were beyond exceptional.
“But after the World Cup, the team made a step forward and we were there.”
Guardiola admitted he could not even begin to think about next season and the task of defending the club’s titles, but questioned the wisdom of his players heading off on international duty after their celebrations.
He said: “Right now, I don’t have any energy to think about next season, it’s impossible. We need to have a break, the season is too long.
“Most of these guys go to the national team to play again – honestly, UEFA, FIFA, think about it. We finished the Premier League what, two or three weeks ago? They’re on holiday and they come back for two weeks?
“These guys will have two or three weeks off and after, start again next season. It’s too much.
“Anyway, next season will be next season and of course we are going to start from zero. This is our job.”
Erling Haaland finished his debut Manchester City season with 52 goals to his name.
The Norway international finished on a run of just one goal in eight games but had already more than justified his bargain £51million price tag.
Here, the PA news agency looks at his stunning campaign in detail.
Premier League
Haaland’s 36 goals were a Premier League record, even including the early 42-game seasons.
Andy Cole and Alan Shearer shared the previous high of 34, with Mohamed Salah’s 32 topping the charts for a 38-game campaign, before Haaland rewrote the records.
He scored in seven straight league games from August to October – his third to his ninth appearances in the competition – with hat-tricks against Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United helping him to 13 goals in those games and 18 in a 10-match scoring run in all competitions.
A fourth treble against Wolves in January left him one behind Shearer’s record of five in a season while he also had five doubles – against West Ham, Brighton, Leeds, Southampton and Leicester – and scored in 23 of his 35 appearances.
He scored against 16 different opponents, the exceptions being Chelsea – the only team to stop him in a pair of league appearances – Liverpool and Brentford.
Champions League
Haaland arrived in Manchester with 23 Champions League goals to his name in 19 appearances for RB Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund, and has maintained that form.
He netted group-stage doubles against Sevilla and FC Copenhagen, either side of a goal against Dortmund, and Pep Guardiola could afford to largely rest his star man for the return fixtures save for a scoreless first-half run-out on his old stomping ground in Germany.
He was quiet in a drawn first leg against RB Leipzig but more than made up for it in the return fixture, equalling the competition record of five goals in a game as City won 7-0 and 8-1 on aggregate.
Goals in both legs against Bayern Munich took him to a dozen for the European season, though Real Madrid and Inter Milan kept him quiet even as City won their semi-final and final.
Domestic cups
Haaland’s first FA Cup goals came with a hat-trick in the 6-0 quarter-final win over Burnley, having sat out the clash with Chelsea and not scored against Arsenal.
He was not required to produce any heroics in the semi-final or final, won respectively by a Riyad Mahrez hat-trick and an Ilkay Gundogan brace.
Haaland was shut out by Liverpool in the Community Shield but did score against them in the Carabao Cup, giving him four goals in seven cup appearances.
Wales manager Rob Page has told top-flight clubs to make a move for “Premier League player” Daniel James.
The Wales winger’s club career remains uncertain following Leeds’ relegation to the Sky Bet Championship.
James spent last season on loan with Fulham but has now returned to managerless Leeds and the second tier, where he shone at Swansea to earn a 2019 move to Manchester United.
Page said: “I do think DJ is a Premier League player and he could easily play there again.
“If I’m a Premier League manager and I find out he’s available, personally I’d take him.
“I’m bound to say that because I’m his Welsh manager, but for me he always poses a threat.
“He still has things to work on but with the pace he’s got it is a brave team that plays a high line against him.”
James cost Leeds £25million in joining from Manchester United in August 2021.
The 25-year-old struggled for game-time at Fulham, making only five Premier League starts among 23 appearances in all competitions and scoring three goals.
James has often reserved his best performances for a Wales shirt and started 34 consecutive competitive games before being benched for the World Cup defeat to Iran in November.
“He has taken one for the team in recent months because I’ve asked him to play a different role,” Page said ahead of forthcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Armenia and Turkey.
“He likes playing wide left and the way we play now suits us because he gives us the width on the left.
“He’s that option in behind and when you’ve got a tool like that in your armoury it really is effective.
“In the Premier League, and at international level, he poses a threat. It was a frustrating few months for him when I played him at centre-forward with Gareth (Bale).
“Now we’ve changed and he is back out in his natural position.”
Wales return to action at home to Armenia on Friday and against Turkey in Samsun three days later having taken four points from their opening two games in March.
Page, who has taken his squad to Portugal to prepare for the Euro 2024 double-header, says he has felt the benefits of speaking to Warren Gatland, head coach of the Wales rugby team and former British and Irish Lions boss.
“I had a great chat with him over dinner and wanted to pick his brains,” Page said of his meeting with Gatland at the Football Association of Wales’ National Coaches Conference in Newport.
“It’s not every day you get the chance to share dinner with a man of his stature.
“We talked about how we deal with players, groups of men, and it was really interesting.
“He spoke about how he deals with individuals. It was refreshing to learn it’s how I’ve dealt with individuals in the past.
“We are from a similar era and share similar culture and values. When you are dealing with a player, you do it to their face.”
The Toronto Raptors have found their successor to Nick Nurse, hiring Memphis Grizzlies assistant Darko Rajakovic to be their head coach.
The news was first reported Saturday by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Rajakovic will become the 10th coach in franchise history and was picked over Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson and Milwaukee Bucks assistant Charles Lee, according to Wojnarowski.
A native of Serbia, Rajakovic has been an NBA assistant coach since 2014, serving on the Grizzlies' staff the last three seasons.
His first coaching job in the NBA was with the Oklahoma City Thunder and after six seasons there he spent the 2019-20 season with the Phoenix Suns before becoming Taylor Jenkins' top assistant on the Memphis bench.
The last three seasons with Rajakovic on the staff, the Grizzlies have won a pair of Southwest Division titles while making the playoffs each time. They've compiled a .614 winning percentage - fifth best among all NBA teams in that span.
Rajakovic replaces Nurse, who led the Raptors to the franchise’s only title in 2019, but was fired on April 21, nine days after losing 109-105 to the Chicago Bulls in their play-in game.
Nurse, who was hired by the Philadelphia 76ers on May 29, led Toronto to a pair of Atlantic Division titles, however, the team finished last in the Atlantic this season with a 41-41 record to miss the playoffs for the second time in the last three seasons.
Rajakovic's hiring fills the final open coaching vacancy in the NBA.
Manchester City emulated Manchester United’s 1999 trophy treble with victory in the Champions League final against Inter Milan.
Here, the PA news agency looks at how this season’s City side compares to United’s celebrated group.
Team performance
United lost only three games in their treble-winning season but a remarkable 21 draws in 57 games across the three competitions in question sees City overshadow them in most other statistical categories.
Excluding the League Cup from both teams’ records, Pep Guardiola’s side have 42 wins (73.7 per cent) to United’s 33 (57.9 per cent), 145 goals to 121 and 26 clean sheets to 20.
They conceded only 39 goals to their predecessors’ 56, scoring an average of 2.54 per game and conceding 0.68 compared to 2.12 against 0.98 for United.
City have also scored four goals or more on 16 occasions, 28.1 per cent of their matches and twice as many as that United side – and they have an unsurprising advantage when the two teams’ top scorers are compared…
Player stats
Erling Haaland’s extraordinary 51-goal contribution to City’s treble had no equivalent in a United squad that shared the burden much more equally.
Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole formed a potent front two, Yorke edging his strike partner by 18 league goals to 17 and by 29 to 24 in all competitions.
Super-sub Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored 12 league goals despite starting only nine games and 15 in the three competitions with just 14 starts alongside 20 appearances from the bench. Teddy Sheringham was even more sparingly used, but his four goals included the vital equaliser in Barcelona before Solskjaer’s even-later winner.
Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs also hit double figures, with David Beckham on nine.
Haaland won this year’s Golden Boot awards in the Premier League, with a record 36 goals, and the Champions League with 12 – including five in a game against RB Leipzig – as he finished four clear of the pack.
He has been backed up by fellow summer signing Julian Alvarez with 15 goals in the league, FA Cup and Champions League, the same as Phil Foden, plus 13 from Riyad Mahrez and double figures too for cup final hero Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne.
Eight of Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad featured in 50 or more of the 57 games that led to the treble – goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, defenders Gary Neville and Jaap Stam, midfield trio David Beckham, Roy Keane and Paul Scholes, and Cole and Yorke up front.
Just Rodri and Bernardo Silva can boast the same figure in City’s treble as Guardiola’s famed rotation policy and squad depth shows its worth. Haaland, Gundogan and Jack Grealish have hit 50 in all competitions.
Manchester City have won the Champions League to add to their Premier League and FA Cup triumphs.
Here, the PA news agency looks at the key players in their stunning treble.
Erling Haaland
The Norwegian has been an absolute sensation, scoring a record 36 goals in City’s Premier League campaign and 52 in all competitions. People doubted whether he would be able to maintain the phenomenal scoring rate of his early career once he arrived in the Premier League following his £51million move from Borussia Dortmund but he quickly dispelled their reservations. He formed a potent partnership with Kevin De Bruyne and bagged six hat-tricks in all competitions including a stunning five-goal Champions League haul against RB Leipzig. City had to adjust their playing style to accommodate him but things had truly clicked by the run-in as City reeled in Arsenal and tasted glory on three fronts.
Kevin De Bruyne
It may not have been a vintage De Bruyne season, and some of Guardiola’s comments about him at times suggested the manager was not entirely satisfied with the Belgian, but he still produced another highly-effective campaign. He truly got going and delivered when it really mattered as City entered the run-in, with his statistics again impressive. He led the Premier League with 16 assists, and while that figure is also testament to the brilliance of Haaland’s finishing, it was four more than anyone else in the competition. He also weighed in with seven goals, with a further two goals and seven assists in Europe, though his final ended before half-time due to injury for the second time in three years.
Jack Grealish
It has taken time for Grealish to live up to his £100million billing but his second season at the club has been a considerable improvement on his first. There were some impressive performances in the early part of the campaign and since the World Cup he has reached that level on a consistent basis. He now seems more confident on the ball and has been harder for defenders to knock off it, while also showing a greater ability to pick out his team-mates. His progress has been good and City will hope there is more to come.
John Stones
The second half of the season saw Stones successfully combine all facets of his game. The England centre-back’s defending has improved considerably in recent years and, now comfortable in that role, he is confident enough to step into midfield when City are in possession. With his ball-playing ability, this defence-midfield hybrid role has added an extra dimension to the team’s play.
Rodri
The Spaniard’s influence in the City midfield has grown steadily since his arrival in 2019 and this season has seen him come of age. Physically strong and highly energetic, Rodri has been City’s driving force. He reads the game superbly, breaks up opposition attacks and powers forward. His passing ability and vision have been excellent with the likes of Haaland, De Bruyne and Grealish all benefiting enormously. His four goals included the key strike against Inter Milan in the Champions League final.
Ilkay Gundogan
Pep Guardiola’s first signing in 2016, Gundogan has gained a larger share of the limelight this season than ever before. The Germany international has the versatility to play anywhere in midfield and his quiet leadership has been backed up by vital goals – never more so than his two in the FA Cup final to echo last season’s title-winning league brace against Aston Villa. Guardiola, no stranger to world-class talent, last month labelled him “one of the best players I ever trained in my career”.
Manchester City are celebrating a trophy treble after their Champions League final win over Inter Milan.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the key games in their successful campaign.
October 2, Man City 6 Man Utd 3
City did not really find consistency until the spring but there were some awesome demonstrations of their firepower – and particularly that of Erling Haaland – in the opening months. Their thrashing of arch-rivals United was especially sweet. Haaland helped himself to a hat-trick, his third in successive home games and one of six in a record-breaking campaign, while Phil Foden also hit three.
January 19, Man City 4 Tottenham 2
Pep Guardiola let his anger at his side be known after they rallied from 2-0 down at half-time with goals from Julian Alvarez, Haaland and Riyad Mahrez (two). After defeats in the previous two games, the City boss felt the first half was another indicator his players – who he labelled ‘happy flowers’ – were not fully focused. City were beaten at Spurs a few weeks later, but it perhaps signalled a change in attitude.
February 15, Arsenal 1 Man City 3
Fixture disruption in the autumn meant the two leading title contenders were kept apart until February, when City landed the first blow. Kevin De Bruyne’s opener was cancelled out by a Bukayo Saka penalty but City upped the tempo in the second half with goals from Jack Grealish and Haaland. The win took City top, albeit only on goal difference and having played a game more, but it was psychologically important.
April 1, Man City 4 Liverpool 1
City started to show they really meant business when they put Liverpool, their chief title rivals in recent years, to the sword. Mohamed Salah put the Reds ahead but City’s response, without injured top scorer Haaland, was impressive as Alvarez, De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Grealish scored in a convincing win.
April 26, Man City 4 Arsenal 1
City outclassed the Gunners to take firm command of the title race. Arsenal’s advantage had been eroded by three successive draws, meaning the momentum was with City, and they emphasised that with a dominant display. De Bruyne scored two, both from Haaland passes, and the Norwegian inevitably got on the scoresheet himself. John Stones scored their other goal in an unexpectedly one-sided clash. Arsenal remained two points clear but, with two games in hand, City held the upper hand and did not relinquish it en route to a third successive title and fifth in six seasons.
May 17, Man City 4 Real Madrid 0
A thrilling first leg of the Champions League semi-final finished 1-1, De Bruyne’s thunderbolt cancelling out Vinicius Junior’s opener, but Bernardo Silva’s first-half double ensured the return match was a one-sided affair. Manuel Akanji’s goal and Alvarez’s stoppage-time clincher meant a scoreline every bit as eye-catching as the 7-0 win over RB Leipzig in which Haaland scored five.
June 3, Man City 2 Man Utd 1
Gundogan’s volley after only 12 seconds was the fastest FA Cup final goal on record and though United hit back with a Bruno Fernandes penalty after Grealish was harshly penalised for handball, the Germany midfielder struck again early in the second half to seal the spoils – and set up the chance to emulate one of United’s proudest achievements.
June 10, Man City 1 Inter Milan 0
A hard-fought first half saw City lose key playmaker De Bruyne to injury, an unwelcome echo of 2021’s defeat to Chelsea on the same Champions League final stage. They finally broke down their stubborn opponents with Rodri’s firm, composed finish midway through the second half and survived scares from headers by Federico DiMarco and Romelu Lukaku as they held on.
Rodri fired the winning goal as Manchester City finally claimed Champions League glory and completed the treble with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Inter Milan.
The midfielder rifled home in the 68th minute as the Premier League winners City wore down the Italians in a draining final at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul on Saturday.
The contest was a tight one, with City suffering a serious blow in pursuit of the prize that has eluded them for so long when they lost Kevin De Bruyne to injury in the first half.
The prolific Erling Haaland was also kept quiet by a stubborn Inter side but Rodri eventually made the breakthrough with a firm strike after a Bernardo Silva pass was deflected into his path.
It capped a momentous season for City having also won the FA Cup as well as a fifth Premier League title in six years. Their success means they also join rivals Manchester United as the only side to have won all three of those trophies in the same season.
It meant mission accomplished for owner Sheikh Mansour, who was present in Istanbul at only his second match since purchasing the club in 2008 and subsequently propelling them to the game’s top table.
Manager Pep Guardiola could also celebrate Champions League success again 12 years after the second of his two wins as Barcelona boss.
City had gone into the match as strong favourites but Inter proved more than a match, setting out with a determination to soak up pressure.
It made for a slow start and City lacked their usual sparkle.
That gave Inter confidence and Federico Dimarco sparked a threatening attack after seizing possession but Marcelo Brozovic’s shot was deflected wide.
Ederson also seemed nervous and misplaced a pass that handed Nicolo Barella a long-range sight of goal. Fortunately for the Brazilian, Barella’s effort was nowhere near the target.
Haaland had his first attempt after being played in by De Bruyne but Andre Onana blocked his first-time shot.
De Bruyne tried his luck himself from distance but his effort lacked power and his final was, once again, to end in frustration soon after.
The Belgian went down clutching his hamstring 10 minutes before the interval and, despite attempts to run off the problem, was forced to admit defeat soon after and was replaced by Phil Foden.
It meant further Champions League final woe for De Bruyne after he left the field with a facial injury during City’s loss to Chelsea two years ago.
The opening stages of the second half followed a similar pattern but Inter eventually started to assert themselves more and they began to look dangerous.
City had a let-off just before the hour when Manuel Akanji reacted slowly to a Silva pass and Lautaro Martinez charged into the box. Former Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku was well placed in the centre but Martinez opted to shoot and Ederson smothered his effort.
City made the most of that reprieve and took the lead moments after a John Stones cross was deflected close to his own goal by Alessandro Bastoni.
Akanji played the key pass as he picked out Silva and his cutback eventually fell to Rodri, who thumped the ball into the net from the edge of the area.
City fans greeted the strike with a mixture of celebration and relief but they were given a scare minutes later when Dimarco hit the bar with a looping header and then headed against Lukaku on the rebound.
Foden had a chance to put City in firm control when he burst through a gap into the area but Onana got down well to save.
City survived a late scare when a Lukaku header hit Ederson’s legs and was put behind by Ruben Dias and the final whistle was greeted by jubilant celebrations.
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