How has it been 1200 days since the match time flys Manchester City’s 2022/23 Champions League campaign was the season when the club finally completed its long-awaited European journey. After years of domestic dominance, City had become one of the strongest teams in Europe, but the Champions League trophy was still missing from their collection. They had reached the final in 2021 and lost to Chelsea, making another attempt even more important. With Pep Guardiola leading the team and Erling Haaland joining the squad, City entered the competition with one clear objective: win the Champions League. City were drawn into Group G with Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla and FC Copenhagen. They began with a convincing 4–0 victory away against Sevilla, with Haaland scoring twice against his former club. City then beat Dortmund 2–1 at the Etihad Stadium before drawing 0–0 with Copenhagen in Denmark. The return match against Copenhagen also finished 0–0, but City remained unbeaten. They defeated Sevilla 3–1 at home and finished the group stage with a 1–1 draw against Dortmund. Four wins and two draws saw City finish top of the group and move into the knockout rounds without losing a match. In the round of 16, City faced RB Leipzig. The first leg in Germany ended 1–1, leaving the tie completely open. The second leg at the Etihad was completely different. City produced one of the most dominant performances of the tournament and destroyed Leipzig 7–0. Haaland scored five goals, while İlkay Gündoğan and Kevin De Bruyne also found the net. It was a historic individual performance from Haaland and a statement from the entire team. City won the tie 8–1 on aggregate and moved into the quarter-finals with huge confidence. Their next opponents were Bayern Munich. The German champions arrived in Manchester for the first leg, but City controlled the match and produced another outstanding display. Rodri opened the scoring with a brilliant long-range strike before Bernardo Silva and Haaland added two more goals in the second half. City won 3–0 and gave themselves a massive advantage. In the second leg in Munich, Bayern tried to fight back, but City stayed composed. Haaland scored from the penalty spot after Erling had earlier missed one, and the match finished 1–1. City advanced 4–1 on aggregate and reached the semi-finals. Waiting there was Real Madrid, the defending champions and the most successful club in Champions League history. The first leg at the Santiago Bernabéu was a high-level battle. Vinícius Júnior gave Madrid the lead with a powerful strike, but Kevin De Bruyne responded with an outstanding goal from outside the box. The match ended 1–1, meaning the entire tie would be decided at the Etihad Stadium. The second leg became one of the defining nights in Manchester City’s European history. City started aggressively and put Real Madrid under pressure from the beginning. Bernardo Silva opened the scoring, and City continued controlling possession while creating chance after chance. Madrid struggled to escape City’s pressure, and Silva scored again before Manuel Akanji and Julián Álvarez completed a 4–0 victory. City won the semi-final 5–1 on aggregate and reached the Champions League final for the second time in three seasons. The final took place on June 10, 2023, at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, where City faced Inter Milan. The match was much tighter than the semi-final. Inter defended extremely well and made it difficult for City to create clear chances. Kevin De Bruyne was forced off with an injury, adding another problem for Guardiola’s side. City had to stay patient and keep searching for the opening that could change the entire match. That moment arrived in the 68th minute. Bernardo Silva moved into the penalty area and the ball eventually reached Rodri outside the box. The Spanish midfielder controlled himself before calmly placing the ball into the bottom corner.#mancity #haaland #erlinghaaland #manchestercity - @nexoredits0