Manchester City v Inter Milan

About the Drawing

Manchester City's 1–0 victory over Inter Milan in the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final completed a remarkable season. Having already won the Premier League and the FA Cup, the club secured the one trophy that had eluded them, becoming only the second English club to complete the Treble.

Like many finals, this was a match of patience as much as attacking football. Inter defended resolutely, and the outcome remained uncertain until Rodri's second-half goal. Even then, there was little sense that the match was settled. Every attack carried the possibility of changing the story once again.

What always makes me smile when I look at this drawing is not the goal itself, but the people around it. Pep Guardiola finishing the match on his knees captures the emotion of finally reaching the summit after so many attempts. On the opposite side of the drawing, the goalkeeper's stretched and twisting movements remind me how athletic the position can be. Goalkeepers often create their own choreography, quite different from the rhythm of the outfield players.

There is also a small detail that has remained visible. Around the red arrow marking Rodri's goal, traces of an erased pencil line can still be seen where I adjusted the drawing before adding the goal. I could have removed it completely, but I chose to leave it. It forms part of the drawing's history, a quiet reminder that these works are made by hand, one decision at a time.