Manchester City crush Sevilla on penalties to lift maiden Super Cup title

Man City’s Kyle Walker lifts the UEFA Super Cup after their 5-4 win over Sevilla FC in Piraeus near Athens on Wednesday. Pic/Getty Images

Manchester City marked its first appearance in the UEFA Super Cup by beating Sevilla 5-4 in a penalty shootout on Wednesday to add another piece of silverware to its vast haul under manager Pep Guardiola.

1-1 at full time

After a 1-1 draw in regulation time and then nine successful spot kicks in the shootout, Nemanja Gudelj struck his attempt against the crossbar to hand City victory inside Stadio Georgios Karaiskakis. It was a 15th trophy won by City in Guardiola's reign that started in 2016 and made up for the loss to Arsenal in a penalty shootout in the Community Shield 10 days ago.

"The manager made it so clear to us before the game how much he wants to win this trophy," City midfielder Jack Grealish said about the annual match between last season's winners of the Champions League (City) and Europa League (Sevilla).

"You want to win everything anyway but that gave us more of an urge. This club has never won it. It's a brilliant feeling." Youssef En-Nesyri's towering header gave Sevilla the lead in the 25th minute of a match played in stifling heat and humidity in Athens.

City equalised through a header by winger Cole Palmer in the 63rd as the European champions dominated the second half, with star striker Erling Haaland staying on the field for the whole game despite a big Premier League match against Newcastle coming up on Saturday.

Also Read: UEFA Super Cup 2023: Manchester City clinches UEFA Super Cup with penalty victory over Sevilla

Guardiola became the second manager, after Carlo Ancelotti, to win the Super Cup four times and the first to win it with three different teams after doing so at Bayern Munich (2013) and Barcelona (2009, 2011). Kyle Walker lifted the cup amid ticker tape and chants of "Champions" by his City teammates on the stage in the middle of the field. It is becoming a familiar sight, with the club having won the Premier League-FA Cup-Champions League treble last season for the first time.

Tough season ahead

This season might be tougher for Guardiola and City, with the match perhaps highlighting the team's need for more creativity and goal threat following the off season departures of Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez and an injury to Kevin De Bruyne that could sideline him for up to four months. Palmer could be one answer, with the 21-year-old academy product impressing as City's most dangerous player and nodding in from Rodri's cross to add to his goal in the Community Shield. He should get more game time this season on the right wing following Mahrez's move to Saudi Arabia. "This guy is incredible and he's got good players who learn off and the best manager in the world," Walker said of Palmer.

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