GM, Free Agents. What a match. Manchester City have finally done it! Their first UCL title AND the treble!

Welcome to the The Free Transfer— the 5-min daily newsletter making you smarter about football.

Agenda for the next 5 minutes:

• Manchester City win the treble! 🏆️🏆️🏆️

  • 30-second season review

• The UCL Final ⚔️ 

  • 30-second “how it happened”

  • 30-second match review

  • Standout performances

MANCHESTER CITY WIN THE TREBLE!🏆️🏆️🏆️ 

Whatever you may have to say about the project, money, etc.— there is one thing we can all agree on. Manchester City are the best team in the world.

Pep has finally won his elusive Champions League title with Manchester City.

Seven years of difficulty, bad luck, and/or failure in Europe has finally come to an end. City have won the UCL under Pep Guardiola.

Season review— less than 30 seconds ⏩️ 

Manchester City never had a tough time scoring goals this season. Erling Haaland made that easy. From the get-go, he has produced goals like no other.

In the league, though, City had some difficulty clicking within Pep’s new system designed around Haaland. Instead of staying wide, the fullbacks were forced to invert into midfield. Cancelo & Walker were not comfortable there. Eventually, Cancelo fell out of the lineup and fell out with Pep due to a lack of playing time (due to a lack of fit in this new system).

Cancelo left on loan in the January transfer window, & Pep started using John Stones as the defender that inverted into the midfield. Who would have ever thought that Pep Guardiola would play 4 CBs in one of the oldest formations in football (3-2-5)?

It worked like a charm as John Stones slotted in perfectly. For the second half of the season, he has played at the level of the best defensive midfielders in the world.

The rest is history… After a 1-0 loss to Spurs in early February, Manchester City went on a 25-match unbeaten run to win the treble. A truly remarkable season, manager, & group of players.

Whatever one may think about the club, the spending, the 115 FFP charges, whatever it may be— you cannot deny that Manchester City under Pep Guardiola play some of the most eye-catching football in history.

Guardiola is always changing his tactics to prevent rivals from learning the “best way to beat them”. His players seem to know what will happen before it does. It’s like watching an orchestra on the football pitch.

A historic and brilliant season. With the way they have played since February, they deserve it.

THE UCL FINAL⚔️

This match really could have gone either way! Deep into the second half, things got a bit crazy. City came out winners in a hard-fought battle…

30-second “how it happened”⏱️ 

First half

27’—City had a great chance through Haaland’s shot at Onana. A huge chance missed by City. 

Overall Inter stymied City’s style of play.

KDB went off injured, & was replaced by Foden in the 36’.

Halftime

Getting to halftime at 0-0 was a huge win for Inter.

They only gave up 1 big chance, & never allowed City to get into a rhythm.

Not many teams have been able to do that this season. Blunting the force of City’s attack is no easy task.

Second half

Lukaku came on for Dzeko at the 57’.

58’—Inter’s relentless ball-chasing paid off in another gaffe from City’s backline.

• Lautaro was gifted the ball on the byline. In a 1v1 with Ederson, he shot at goal (with no angle). Lukaku was fuming as he charged into the box and thought he was the better option. Huge chance missed by Inter.

68’— Akanji played Bernardo into the box. He recovered the ball at the byline & crossed it. The deflected ball bounced to Rodri who curved the ball around 2 Inter defenders and into the back of the net. GOAL CITY!

70’—Directly after City’s goal, Dumfries won a header at the top of City’s box which floated to a wide open DiMarco at the 6 yard box. DiMarco headed it over Ederson, but hit the crossbar! DiMarco got to the second ball & headed towards goal, but was unintentionally blocked by Lukaku. Another huge chance missed by Inter.

78’— Foden received the ball with his back to goal, turned beautifully in one movement, & was in behind the Inter defense in the blink of an eye. He took a great, hard shot which is stopped by Onana. Another huge chance missed by City.

88’— Gosens played a perfect cross to Lukaku who is 5 yards from goal. Lukaku had only the keeper to beat in an otherwise open goal. His header was essentially right at Ederson, but a good reaction save nonetheless. Crucial. It is truly baffling how Lukaku did not score from such a close distance. ANOTHER huge chance missed by Inter.

90+6’— Inter earned a corner for the last action of the match. It is crossed to the near post by DiMarco to Gosens, who flicks a perfect header on target. Ederson makes another crucial save. City clears the ball. Match over!

Final: Manchester City 1-0 Inter Milan.

30-second match review 📝 

From Inter’s perspective

Overall, Inter can be proud of how they played. They totally stifled Manchester City’s style, which was the main tactic for the Nerazzurri.

They created plenty of chances on the counter and from set pieces/broken play, but were not able to capitalize on them. If they wanted to win the match, they were always going to need to be absolutely clinical in the few big moments that they got. Unfortunately, they were the opposite of clinical.

Overall, Inter can be proud of the way they defended throughout the match. City’s goal came from a broken play & a brilliant finish by Rodri.

From City’s perspective

They were never able to gain the rhythm that they wanted, but kept pushing. Although they nearly gave up two goals from miscommunications in possession, they did not let Inter’s counter-attacking danger scare them from taking control of the match.

Even though things were not going to plan, they kept pushing & pushing. Rodri’s goal came from a broken play, but that defines one-off cup ties. You have to be ready for a small chance that is presented to you. Things won’t likely go to plan.

For the most part, City defended Inter’s counterattacks & set pieces very well. They gave up a few big chances, but came away with a clean sheet. Fantastic performance.

Overall

Both teams had their chances to win. Inter would have happily taken a 0-0 scoreline in the 65’, if you offered it to them pre-match.

City were frustrated but kept pushing & eventually got the decisive goal. That one moment was the difference in a match full of chances. These “moments” are something they have lacked in the past 7 years in Champions League, but they were really able to exorcise their demons last night.

Kudos must be given to Pep & the team. They really are the best side in the world. Being able to win such a back-and-forth match shows strength in adversity.

Standout performances 👏 

Honestly, there were so many great performances last night. It’s really hard to choose the best but here were some of them! ⤵️ 

Ederson

His fearlessness in possession, 3-4 big saves, & late claim from Inter’s longball into the box were key. Maybe his best performance in a City shirt.

Onana

He played seemlessly through City’s high press with the ball at his feet. His distribution rivaled Ederson’s. He made 2-3 big saves as well that kept the score at 0-0. Unfortunately on the goal, there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Rodri

Apart from the fantastic finish on his goal, he dictated play in possession and made many key tackles. Man of the match performance! He has stamped himself as the standard for what it means to be a #6 in the sport today.

Dumfries & DiMarco

As we knew pre-match, Inter wingbacks were going to need to show up if Inter wanted to have a chance. Both played their hearts out, & had fantastic showings. Inter fans may be disappointed with DiMarco’s key miss, but he was a huge threat with his deliveries all night. Dumfries was key going forward & in locking down Grealish.

Bernardo Silva

Despite playing against essentially 9 defenders for most of the night, Bernardo consistently found space where there was none. His disguised run into the box was what created the goal. What a player!

That’s it for this season of football in Europe! Hats off to Manchester City. What a team. They have written themsevles into history with their treble!

Now the transfer market will start to go crazy. Strap in!

Cheers,

—The Gaffer