Manchester City beat Sevilla on penalties in Athens as they claimed their first silverware of the season – after Cole Palmer stole the show....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
Pep Guardiola’s Treble winners took on Europa League victors Sevilla in Athens and had to contend with blistering heat just five days after they started the new Premier League season with a win over Burnley.
Sevilla were happy to play on the counter-attack and went ahead through Youssef En-Nesyri’s powerful header before half-time – with youngster Palmer coming to their rescue with a fine header of his own in the second period
City managed to build on that equaliser before claiming victory on penalties – marking their first trophy of the season after their Community Shield defeat against Arsenal at Wembley.
City were huge favourites to win the contest as Champions League winners but were without Kevin De Bruyne following his long-term injury blow.
Bernardo Silva was also absent due to illness, with Erling Haaland having minimal involvement and youngster Palmer their only real spark in the heat of Greece.
City will now have to regroup before their Premier League return, taking on Eddie Howe’s Newcastle on Saturday evening at the Etihad as they look to make it two wins from their opening domestic fixtures.
Manchester City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola reacts during the 2023 UEFA Super Cup football match between Manchester City and Sevilla at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus on August 16, 2023.
Shoot-out strikes from Haaland, Julian Alvarez, Mateo Kovacic, Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker were enough as Nemanja Gudelj missed Sevilla’s fifth – with the Spanish outfit failing to build on their penalty win against Roma in May.
The game finished past midnight local time but City fans were in fine voice as players wildly celebrated following their triumph, with Freed from Desire blasted out around the Karaiskakis Stadium….READFULL
