2133 – Huge City scare just moments after going in front as a looping header from Federico Dimarco hits the bar. He then heads against team-mate Lukaku on the rebound.
2127 – GOAL! Man City 1 Inter Milan 0
City break the deadlock in the 68th minute with a fine strike from Rodri.
Akanji plays Bernardo Silva into the area and his cut-back is deflected into the path of Rodri, who passes the ball into the net from just inside the area.
2117 – Big left-off for City. A mix-up between Manuel Akanji and Ederson allows Martinez in down the left, but the Brazilian goalkeeper stands tall and denies the Inter man.
Ruben Dias then heads over as City threaten at the other end.
The game is starting to open up.
2116 – Dzeko off, Lukaku on for Inter.
2110 – Opening for City as Inter give the ball away at the back, but they are unable to take advantage as the Italians shut the door. More frustration for the Premier League champions.
2104 – The second half is under way.
2048 – Half-time: Man City 0 Inter Milan 0
Inter will be the happier side after that opening half. Work to do for Guardiola during the break.
2036 – De Bruyne is forced off injured!
The City talisman tries to run off what looks like a hamstring problem but, after over-hitting a cross, signals to the bench he can’t continue. Phil Foden is on.
It means 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.
2029 – Not a good sight for City. De Bruyne down receiving treatment, but is back on the pitch.
2027 – Chance!
Haaland so close to giving City the lead. The striker is sent clear by De Bruyne and his left-footed finish is well kept out by Onana.
2025 – Inter are giving the City players no time at all on the ball and Guardiola’s men are struggling to get their creative players into the contest. Food for thought for the manager.
2016 – The City owner is here.
2016 – A cagey opening 15 minutes. City are having the majority of possession as expected, but Inter are ultra aggressive and look like they have the potential to be a threat on the counter.
2011 – The fans’ view.
2006 – Chance!
City go close. Bernardo Silva cuts into the area from the right and whips a left-footed shot narrowly wide of the far top corner.
2000 – Kick off!
Inter get us under way in the Champions League final.
1945 – 15 minutes to kick off in Istanbul.
1942 – Walker “will be absolutely fuming” at being left on the bench, according to Rio Ferdinand.
“Inside the blood will be boiling,” he said on BT Sport.
1930 – Haaland getting his eye in.
1920 – City fans back home are also braced for the big match.
1910 – The City players are out on the pitch.
1907 – Guardiola revealed Walker’s omission was tactical rather than injured-related.
“He could be there, it was really tough because Kyle is so important,” he told BT Sport.
1905 – Black smoke billowed over the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in the hours prior to kick-off due to a fire at a nearby factory, but there was no suggestion it would affect the game.
1900 – The City squad are in the building.
Their team bus had to navigate the traffic congestion and perhaps arrived later than ideal, but was still at the stadium by 8.40pm local time, with the game due to start at 10pm.
1835 – The team news is in!
Kyle Walker is on the bench for City. The England full-back suffered an injury scare late in the closing minutes of the FA Cup final last weekend.
Walker did not feature in an open training session earlier in the week and, although the suggestion at the time was his absence was precautionary, his expected place in the side went to Nathan Ake.
Ake was likely to start at left-back, with Manuel Akanji switching to right-back.
Ederson returned in goal for Stefan Ortega, but the side was otherwise the same one that started both semi-final legs against Real Madrid and against Manchester United at Wembley last Saturday.
Dzeko starts ahead of Lukaku for Inter.
1820 – The stadium is filling up, despite reports of heavy traffic on the way to the ground.
1810 – Mario Balotelli won the treble with Inter in 2010 and was a Premier League and FA Cup winner in his three years at City. But the Italian is remaining strictly neutral tonight.
“I’m not going to put myself in one of the two sides,” he said on BT Sport.
1805 – As well as the players, the pundits are also gearing up for a big night.
1755 – Another English side has rather fond Champions League memories of the Ataturk Olympic Stadium. Hard to believe this was 18 years ago.
1740 – How Inter would love to have this man in his prime back in their midfield.
1735 – City owner Sheikh Mansour will be at tonight’s game, only the second game he has attended since his investment vehicle, the Abu Dhabi United Group, purchased City in 2008.
1725 – City are aiming to match the feat previously only achieved in English football by their cross-city rivals Manchester United in 1999, but how do their two seasons match up?
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 and with their 57th and final game still to play, Pep Guardiola’s side have 41 wins (73.2 per cent) to United’s 33 (57.9 per cent), 144 goals to 121 and 25 clean sheets to 20.
They have conceded only 39 goals to their predecessors’ 56, scoring an average of 2.57 per game and conceding 0.70, compared to 2.12 against 0.98 for United.
1710 – Unlike City, Inter know what it takes to win this competition, though. Remember this?
1705 – We know all about City, but how about tonight’s opponents Inter? Let’s take a closer look at the side standing between City and the treble.
Their success is built on their mean defence. Simone Inzaghi’s combative team have kept a tournament-high eight clean sheets in their 12 matches, including five from six in the knockout stages, with goalkeeper Andre Onana a star performer.
They also boast Argentinian World Cup winner Lautaro Martinez up front, alongside two familiar faces in former City striker Edin Dzeko and Romelu Lukaku.
They had a mediocre Serie A campaign, though, finishing 18 points behind champions Napoli to sit third and losing 12 of their 38 games.
City know this is their final to lose.
1703 – The trophy is here.
1650 – Another taste of the atmosphere out in Istanbul:
1640 – Let’s have a look at how both teams got here:
1625 – 52-goal striker Erling Haaland looked in relaxed mood at training yesterday, but says he is not immune to pressure.
“Of course I feel pressure, I would lie if I said I didn’t,” he said.
In fact the Norwegian has only one goal in his last seven outings, but Guardiola for one is not concerned – “I don’t have doubts. If you have doubts about Erling scoring you are a very lonely person.”
1615 – City go into the match as red-hot favourites and Pep Guardiola and Kevin De Bruyne both admitted on the eve of the game that winning the competition had become both a dream and an obsession.
“To achieve things you always have to have the correct proportion of obsession and desire. It’s a positive word for the desire and will to win it. It is of course a dream for us,” said Guardiola.
1610 – Our man in Istanbul is inside the Ataturk and has the very precise timings for tonight.
1605 – Less than four hours to kick-off and the atmosphere is building. Both sets of fans certainly seem to be in good spirits.
1600 – Good afternoon and welcome to the PA news agency’s Champions League final blog. Stay here for all the build-up, key match action and post-game reaction as Manchester City and Inter Milan slog it out in Istanbul.
Magee eager to make mark in Concacaf Nations League on return to Reggae Boyz setup
After almost a year on the outside watching from a distance, Tyreek Magee is now buzzing with excitement about his return to Jamaica’s senior Reggae Boyz set up for their upcoming Concacaf Nations League fixtures against Nicaragua and Honduras.
Magee, whose name is synonymous with flair and creativity in the midfield, seems set to make his first senior Reggae Boyz appearance since late last year, and it is an opportunity he is hoping to grasp with a showcase his growth to once again re-establish himself on the international stage.
The 25-year-old has been holding his own in the USL Championship with Colorado Switchbacks, scoring three goals in 13 appearances, as he has impressed fans and critics alike with his performances this season.
Magee’s consistent displays and creative vision caught the eye of Reggae Boyz Head coach, Steve McClaren, who believes his inclusion could bolster a squad brimming with attacking talent for the October 10 and 14 League A encounters.
For Magee, the return to the national fold is both a validation of his hard work and a stepping stone for what’s to come.
“I'm definitely happy to be back in the squad. It's been a while now, so I'm looking forward to it,” Magee, who has 10 international caps, said in an interview ahead of the team’s departure for Nicaragua.
“I’m excited and looking forward to making the most of this opportunity. As I said before, it’s been a while since I’ve been with the squad, and I’ve been putting in a lot of work to make sure I’m ready. I need to affect the games as much as possible, so whatever minutes I get, I need to make the most of it so I'm really looking forward to these two games,” he added.
The former Jamaica College and Harbour View FC standout has had an eventful journey since leaving the island for opportunities abroad. After a four-year spell in Belgium with KAS Eupen, Magee found his rhythm again in the USL, where he has been lauded for his technical ability and leadership on the pitch.
Despite the challenges of adjusting to different leagues and styles of play, Magee never lost sight of his goal—returning to the Reggae Boyz setup. His inclusion in the squad comes at a pivotal time for Jamaica, as they look to secure vital points in the Nations League and continue building momentum under McClaren’s leadership.
These upcoming matches — away to Nicaragua on Thursday and at home to Honduras next Monday — are crucial in shaping the Boyz’ path toward potential qualification for the Concacaf Gold Cup and, ultimately, the 2026 World Cup.
The Boyz currently head Group B on four points, same as Nicaragua, with Honduras (three points) and Cuba (two points) in close quarters. French Guiana and Trinidad and Tobago round out the group with a point each.
McClaren, who took over the reins earlier this year, has emphasized a possession-based style with a focus on midfield creativity, making Magee’s return particularly timely.
“I’ve always looked for a number 10; a creative player out of the box, somebody who can change games and I asked Merron [Gordon] and he recommended Tyreek [Magee]. I had a little look at him and I liked him. This boy has ability, skill, and can change a game and I said yeah, we’ll give him a chance. That’s what I aim to do,” McClaren shared.
With the window of opportunity now opened up for the midfielder, Magee’s focus is clear—perform well, seize the opportunity, and help the team achieve its goals.
“I’ve learned a lot over the past year about myself and about my game. I did a lot of self-searching and stuff where I was just thinking to myself, like, what I want from football and stuff like that, and I feel like it's been helping me so far. I’m in a good place right now, and I want to show that on the field, so I’m ready to give everything for the team,” Magee declared.
Another exciting prospect of Magee’s call-up is the fact that he could possibly get to grace the international stage alongside former Jamaica College teammate Norman Campbell.
“Yeah, it's something that doesn't really happen much, so I want to embrace it. We grew up in the same community as well, so I'm definitely looking forward to playing with him [Norman Campbell] representing the country,” he ended.
Montego Bay United continue decent start to JPL season with 1-0 win over Arnett Gardens
Montego Bay United continued their promising start to the Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League (JPL) season with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Arnett Gardens in an entertaining encounter at the Montego Bay Stadium in Catherine Hall on Monday.
Captain Owayne Gordon was the hero of the night, scoring the decisive goal in the 40th minute to secure all three points for Rodolfo Zapata’s side. The win, their third of the campaign, moved Montego Bay United up to second on nine points, one point off leaders Cavalier on 10 points, while Arnett Gardens slipped to seventh on four points.
Zapata was visibly pleased with his team’s performance, lauding the effort and determination shown by the players throughout the match.
“I knew it was going to be a very exciting game; it was very interesting from a tactical aspect, and tactics are very important, but if you don’t have the technique, it won’t work. So I am very proud of my boys and the performance they put in," the Argentine tactician said.
“They (Arnett Gardens) are a good team so I have different tactical systems that I work with in games like these. We started with 3-3-3-1, and during the game I had to change, but my players responded to my coaching, and I am so proud of them, especially of that high-class finish,” he added.
It was a lively start by teams as they showed good attacking intent in end-to-end action, much to the delight of the sizeable crowd.
Both threw their weight in attack and tested their respective goalkeeper’s readiness in a few half chances in the opening half-hour.
However, Montego Bay United, led by Gordon, gradually gained the ascendancy, as they were more enterprising in the attacking third, stretching Arnett Gardens defence, which was slow to regroup.
The all-important goal by Gordon, his 77th in an outstanding JPL career, was the culmination of a well-executed build up that showcased Montego Bay United’s swift and effective transition play.
Gordon collected a pass on the break down the left channel and held his composure to delicately finish over the head of Asher Hutchinson in goal for Arnett Gardens to put Montego Bay United up at the break.
Montego Bay United remained in control at the restart and should have extended the lead on two occasions, but faulty execution proved their undoing.
The first came in the 48th when Gordon whipped in a weighted cross, but Lucas Lima Correa couldn't connect properly to get his header on target.
Nine minutes later, Tyrone Harrison danced his way through two defenders and fired on a cross for Shaneil Thomas, who steered the effort wide of the left upright.
As the chances came far and few in between, Arnett Gardens had their best look at goal in 69th when Warner Brown found himself with space and time to set for a left-footed effort from deep inside the 18-yard box. However, the usually clinical attacker hit his shot wide of the right upright, and that effort basically summed up the “Junglists” night.
Head coach Xavier Gilbert acknowledged that they were found wanting for the most parts.
“To be honest, Mobay was committed. I don’t think we were committed as much, especially in the first half, and it is something that we spoke about because we can’t give away the ball and don’t have that urgency to win it back immediately. It has been haunting us for the last four or five games, but we are still trying to fix it.
“It is still a long season and we just have to be better at keeping the ball. Also, the end product just wasn’t there and it is just one of those games. I said it to Kimani [Arbouine] because he has been doing well but tonight just wasn’t his night,” Gilbert reasoned.
Matchweek Four Results
Molynes United 4, Chapelton Maroons 0
Humble Lion 1, Harbour View 1
Portmore United 2, Vere United 0
Tivoli Gardens 0, Waterhouse 1
Cavalier 4, Dunbeholden 1
Mount Pleasant 4, Racing United 0
Montego Bay United 1, Arnett Gardens 0
Former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Iniesta announces retirement
Former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta has announced his retirement from football at the age of 40.
Iniesta, who also played for Japanese side Vissel Kobe, most recently played for UAE Pro League club Emirates and had the option to extend his contract until 2025, but has instead decided to hang up his boots.
The midfielder started his career at Barcelona, joining at the age of 12 before making his senior debut in 2002.
He went on to make 674 appearances for Barcelona in all competitions, the fourth-most in the history of the club, behind Lionel Messi (778), Xavi (767) and Sergio Busquets (722).
"Please allow me to be a little emotional today..." a tearful Iniesta said at a press conference on Tuesday.
"I never thought this day would come. I never imagined it. Yes, all these tears we have shed these days are tears of emotion, of pride. They are not tears of sadness.
"They are tears of that boy from a small town like Fuentealbilla, who had the dream of being a footballer and we achieved it after a lot of hard work, sacrifice... of never giving up, essential values in my life. I feel very proud of this path, with all the people who have accompanied me."
Iniesta scored 35 goals in 442 LaLiga appearances, with Barcelona unbeaten in the 35 league games in which he scored (W33 D2). Only Angel Correa (58 games) has scored in more games without losing in the competition in the 21st century.
While at Barcelona, he won 29 major honours, including nine LaLiga titles, four Champions League, two UEFA Super Cups and three FIFA Club World Cups.
Iniesta also made 131 appearances for Spain, the fifth-most in the history of the male national team, and famously scored the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final as La Roja lifted the trophy for the first time.
His strike in the 116th minute against the Netherlands (115:54 exactly) is the latest winning goal in the showpiece match in the history of the tournament.
He was also a part of Spain's European Championship successes in 2008 and 2012, being named the Player of the Tournament at the latter edition.
Despite playing an integral role in those tournaments, Iniesta failed to score with any of the 34 shots he attempted in his three appearances at the Euros finals (2008, 2012, 2016), a record number of attempts without scoring by any player at the tournament since at least the 1980 edition.
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