Rodri magic secures Manchester City treble with Champions League final win
Even Cézanne, who changed the way the world thought about art in the 19th Century, had his off days with the brush. Manchester City, who've painted such beautiful pictures all over Europe this season, also had one of those in Istanbul.
But perhaps winning the way they did, when they looked jittery and nervous, when the inspirational brilliance we know they possess seemed absent, when Internazionale were strangling their usual game, is actually the mark of a great side. Another dimension to add to the balletic chess games they usually bamboozle opposition teams with.
It was not vintage City in Turkey's sprawling, chaotic capital, but that couldn't matter less. This was the one they wanted, the one missing from the trophy cabinet and, what's more, the third leg of a very rare treble.
A treble that matches neighbours United 24 years ago, and silences the terraces at Old Trafford, Liverpool, Chelsea, Villa and Forest, who have relished taunting City because they'd never won Europe's biggest prize.
Manchester City fans react at Depot Mayfield, in Manchester, to Rodri's goal
In front of City's owner Sheikh Mansour, who was watching his second competitive live game in 15 years, Rodri was named star man at the Ataturk stadium, and rightly so. The Spaniard provided one rare piece of clarity on a muddled night. He has arguably been City's most valuable player at the back end of this history-making season.
It's difficult to argue that City's performances on the pitch don't deserve the prizes now in their clutches. The puzzle for City's rivals is how to break their stranglehold, and that won't be easy for as long as Pep Guardiola is in charge.
It seems a thankless task when this managerial genius has a bottomless pit of Abu Dhabi cash to call on; cash that has turbocharged City from also-rans to near unbeatable in 15 years.
There is also the serious question of whether the club has bent the rules. The Premier League certainly thinks so and has charged them 115 times for a catalogue of financial shenanigans and not cooperating with an investigation into their accounts.
They are similar charges to those that City's lawyers eventually fought off when UEFA came after them - and they strenuously deny the latest accusations. Don't hold your breath for a quick outcome on those.
What is of more immediate concern perhaps is the predictability of the Premier League itself.
'We've made it, we've done it, we are champions of the world' - Manchester City fans react to their 1-0 win against Inter
Five titles in six years is domination at an elevated level and you wouldn't necessarily bet on that pattern changing. It might currently be the world's best and most watched league, but if the trophy finds itself in permanent residence at the Etihad, then interest could slowly begin to fade.
Shrinking interest, however slow, inevitably leads to a drop in television income and a fall in sponsorship revenue. You get the argument - money talks both ways. It is clear too, in another complication, that the other five in England’s 'top six' clubs are becoming increasingly agitated by City's relentless success.
But if you can put all of that aside and live in the moment, this particular City incarnation is a work of art worth enjoying, and under the guidance of Guardiola may yet get even more easy on the eye.
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