By Adegboyega Adeleye
Manchester City have defeated Sevilla on penalties to win the UEFA Super Cup following their treble-winning success, last season.
The UEFA Champions league winners claimed a nervy 5-4 win on penalties.
Cole Palmer scored in the 64th minute to equalise for Pep Guardiola’s side as a 1-1 draw forced the tie to penalties.
Sevilla’s Nemanja Gudelj hit the bar after nine successful penalties from both sides.
The win ensured Manchester City added another trophy to their cabinet days after losing to Arsenal in the Community Shield.
Pep Guardiola’s side achieve another landmark
City wins the Super cup for the first time ever after coming from behind to seal the win over Sevilla in Athens.
Pep Guardiola was excited to win another trophy as he won his fourth UEFA Super Cup and became the first coach to win the competition with three different teams after previous triumphs with Barcelona(2009, 2011) and Bayern Munich (2013).
With the latest landmark, his Manchester City side have now won four trophies in 2023 as they add the Uefa Super Cup to the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League titles.
The trophy is Guardiola’s 15th overall title for City since joining the side in 2016–five league titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups, two FA Community Shield titles, one Champions League and one Super Cup.
City badly missed the creative presence of captain Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva in midfield but still edged out Sevilla in the tight contest.
De Brunye has been ruled out for four months due to a serious hamstring injury while Silva could not feature due to illness.
Palmer makes another statement with impactful performance amidst City future
Youssef En-Nesyri’s powerful first-half header put the Europa League holders ahead on 25 minutes before England under-21 international, Cole Palmer equalised for City.
The City academy graduate, who also scored against Arsenal in the Community Shield, won the man of the match award in Greece.
Rodri, who was City’s hero in the Champions league final win against Inter, provided the assist with a perfectly measured cross for Palmer to cushion a header past Bounou.
Former city forward, Riyad Mahrez, tweeted appreciation of Palmer’s performance when he was substituted as the youngster’s impressive performance in Athens not only made a case for further first-team appearances but also drew praises from his predecessor.
Mahrez also celebrated his former side after the win.
He wrote: “Congrats guys on making even more history 🩵”
Palmer, who benefitted from a summer switch of Mahrez to Saudi Arabia side Al-Ahli, posed a huge threat with his superb left-foot on City’s right flank and was deservedly awarded the man of the match for his stellar performance against Spanish side, Sevilla.
Guardiola stated this could be the 21-year-old’s final act in a City shirt.
He said: “The opinion of him is that he wanted to leave but now I don’t know.
“I don’t think it will be a loan – either he stays or we sell. He showed character – he played well and made a fantastic goal too.”
Guardiola was also able to give expensive £77m summer signing, 21-year-old Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol his first start for the club in defense.
Erling Haaland, Julian Alvarez, Mateo Kovacic, Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker all held their nerve to score in the shootout as Sevilla lost their final spot-kick to erupt celebrations from the Manchester city players and fans in a proud moment in Athens.
Following their treble-winning success, it was another victorious statement for City and a historic addition to their cabinet as Kyle Walker lifted the trophy aloft to celebrate the club’s first ever Super cup victory.
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