Champions League

MANCHESTER CITY coach Enzo Maresca had a huge scare after winning the Champions League, with his father going missing during the game.An announcement was made at the Ataturk Stadium for Pascquale de Caro, Maresca’s father, to make himself known to the nearest steward, while City launched an appeal for help on Twitter.
Maresca has been Guardiola’s assistant since 2022Credit: Getty
Maresca was on the bench last night as Manchester City completed an historic TrebleCredit: Getty
Maresca attempted to contact his father by phone and City informed local police, but it was confirmed at 12.24am on Sunday morning, almost 2.30am in Istanbul, that De Caro had been found.
Meanwhile, a huge number of City fans endured chaos getting to and from the 75,000-seat Ataturk.
Nick Stapleton, a City fan and a reporter on the BBC series Scam Interceptors, shared his frustration on social media.
Stapleton said: “Got to respect UEFA who are, as ever, absolutely committed to making the experience of being a match going fan as miserable as possible even at the Champions League final.
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“I think you’d struggle to find one City fan who thought that was a well organised/easy event to attend. It was a disgrace.”
UEFA had told City fans not to use the local metro network and instead use the shuttle buses provided.
But Stapleton said the journey from the city centre took up to three hours with no water or toilets available, while there was a near two-hour queue for water inside the ground.
After the game, he and his father walked along a grid-locked motorway to find a taxi as there were too few buses available.
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Many other fans, including some family members of the City players, shared similar experiences.
The chaos comes a year after the disastrous Paris final, where Liverpool fans were teargassed outside the Stade de France and an independent report laid the blame at UEFA’s door, saying supporters could have been killed.
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JACK GREALISH looked worse for wear as the Manchester City players headed home from Turkey after their Champions League triumph.Pep Guardiola’s men became the first English side to complete the Treble since Manchester United in 1999 following their 1-0 win over Inter Milan in Istanbul on Saturday evening.
Pep Guardiola waved at fans after emerging from the hotelCredit: PA
Jack Grealish tried to take in some fresh air from a window in the roof of the busCredit: PA
Riyad Mahrez did not look particularly fresh as he donned some sunglassesCredit: PA
Ederson was pictured with a beer as he made his way out of the hotelCredit: Simon Jones
Erling Haaland emerged after sealing the Treble in his first season with Man CityCredit: PA
They celebrated on the pitch after the game, with defender Kyle Walker insisting, “Put any drink in front of me, I’m gonna destroy it”.
Grealish was then pictured drinking a beer in the dressing room, before Erling Haaland smoked a cigar.
And it’s safe to say the squad looked somewhat tired as they boarded the team bus on Sunday as they began the journey back to England.
Grealish could be seen getting some air as he yawned out of a window in the roof of the bus.
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Manager Guardiola appeared the freshest of the Man City party as he waved to those outside their hotel.
But the same could not be said for Riyad Mahrez who donned some red-tinted sunglasses as he offered a tired acknowledgement for those that had come to see the squad.

Meanwhile, keeper Ederson, who made some key saves in the final, was still holding a beer as he smiled for fans.
Captain Ilkay Gundogan, who lifted the trophy, looked on the better side of those that made their way onto the coach.
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Grealish was snapped appearing to yawn out of the team busCredit: PA
Man City are set to return to England on SundayCredit: PA
Captain Ilkay Gundogan was snapped on Sunday, hours after lifting the trophyCredit: Simon Jones
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And striker Haaland was also snapped exiting the hotel as he brings the curtain down on an incredible season – which saw him register 52 goals in 53 games for the Treble winners.
After winning his third Champions League as a manager – and first in 12 years – Guardiola said: “It was written in the stars that we’d win this season – and we did. I’m feeling tired, calm and satisfied. This f*****g trophy is so difficult to win.
“We knew it would be hard. They are really good. We were anxious in the first half but it was a question of being patient. I told them to be patient.
“You have to be lucky, with Ederson at the end, and this competition is [a toss of] a coin. The momentum came from winning the Premier League and FA Cup and now we have this.
“It was not our best performance. I have no energy to think of next season and we need a break.
“We will start from zero and it’s our job. Winning the treble is so difficult.”
Mahrez was one of a number of people wearing ‘The best team in the land’ shirtsCredit: PA
Guardiola will be looking forward to some well-earned downtimeCredit: PA More

FOOTBALL fans were left confused by a particular quirk at the Champions League final stadium in Istanbul.The Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Turkey played host to Manchester City’s 1-0 win over Inter Milan on Saturday night.
The huge technical areas left football fans confusedCredit: BT Sport
The large areas did not step Pep Guardiola from stepping outside of themCredit: PA
It comes 18 years after the very same venue held the dramatic 2005 final between Liverpool and AC Milan when Steven Gerrard inspired a sensational comeback as the Reds clinched a fifth European crown.
The main takeaway from the 2023 edition was that Man City completed the Treble – the first English side to do so since Manchester United in 1999.
But there were also a number of smaller talking points spotted by eagle-eyed viewers.
One of those was the bizarrely huge technical areas which Simone Inzaghi and Pep Guardiola were prowling.
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Despite their vast size, both animated managers still appeared to go outside the lines in order to instruct their players.
Reacting on social media, journalist Richard Jolly posted a picture and added: “The Ataturk Stadium isn’t the easiest place to get to but it does have weirdly big technical areas.”
Another person added: “Biggest take so far is that these technical areas aren’t big enough for either Simone Inzaghi or Pep Guardiola.”
A third responded: “What’s the story with the technical areas?”
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While a fourth replied: “That stadium is ridiculous. Why is there about 15 yards from the dugout to the touchline?
“Managers and subs are going to pull muscles just getting to the front of their technical areas. Even front row fans need Hubble to see any action.”
Inzaghi caught the eye towards the end of his Inter side’s defeat on Saturday evening.
The Italian, 47, watched Ederson make a superb save from a corner to deny his team a late equaliser.
And with the game drifting beyond the allocated stoppage time, the camera cut to Inzaghi who appeared to grab a man in his technical area and push him away.
He then gave him a furious stare as frustrations boiled over.
Moments later, the full-time whistle was blown as the Man City players, staff and fans celebrated jubilantly, while those affiliated with Inter were left devastated.
Meanwhile, the ground was also criticised after fans struggled through traffic and bottleneck entrances to enter the stadium.
The scenes were described as “shambolic” and “dangerous”, just one year on from the chaos that ensued in Paris during Real Madrid’s clash with Liverpool.
Simone Inzaghi was left frustrated in his own technical area towards the end of the game More