An emotional Jack Grealish thanked Pep Guardiola for his trust and choked back tears after Manchester City’s Champions League final win over Inter.
The Cityzens edged out a tense 1-0 win over the Nerazzurri at the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul thanks to a 68th minute goal from Rodri, a moment that sealed a dream for Manchester City fans across the world.
Guardiola has now guided Manchester City to an historic treble, matching the achievement of intercity rivals Manchester United. In the process, Manchester has become the second city in Europe to have two different Champions League winners – the other, as if by fate, is Milan.
Speaking to BT Sport after the Champions League win over Inter, Grealish was visibly emotional as he thanked Guardiola and reflected on his first two years at the club. The Englishman has been much criticised since his €117m move from Aston Villa in 2021.
“He (Guardiola, ed.) is just a genius. I just said to him then ‘I want to thank you because you have made this happen for me’.
“He put so much faith in me, buying me for a lot of money and even last year when I was playing crap, he stayed there with me and spoke to me and this year he has given me that platform to go and perform. So I just said thank you to him.
“I don’t know, it is what you work your whole life for. I am so happy.
“I was awful today but I don’t care, to win the treble with this group of players and this staff is so special, Anyone that knows me knows that I am a family person and how much I love football and this is what I have worked for my whole life.
“You think back to all the people that have helped along the way and just to see my family in the crowd, it makes me emotional.”