‘That’s astonishing’: Inter Milan cult hero’s absurd blunder

There has been absolute drama in the Champions League final with the football world rocked by a mind-blowing blunder.

Hakan Calhanoglu disappeared. Photo: Stan Sport.

Manchester City have done the historic treble in a rollercoaster Champions League final win over Inter Milan on Sunday morning.

Twenty four years after Manchester United achieved the near-impossible, City has done the same under Pep Guardiola.

The pulsating final included moments that will haunt Inter players after several chances were butchered in the frenetic second half in Istanbul.

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In the end it was a 68th minute strike from Rodri that separated the teams with City holding on for a 1-0 victory, despite a late bombardment from their Italian rivals.

It was Romelu Lukaku who was regrettably at the centre of Inter’s most frustrating moments — and his miss in the 89th minute will haunt him.

The Belgian striker was gifted an open header from point-blank range inside the six-yard box, but his shot went strait at keeper Ederson.

Hakan Calhanoglu disappeared. Photo: Stan Sport.

Rodri got it around all of them. Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images.

1-0. Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images.

Rodri celebrates. Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP.

While Lukaku’s miss will be the biggest talking point in the wash-up, it was another missing Inter player that has got tongues wagging.

Hakan Calhanoglu found himself in the gut-wrenching position of being lined up directly behind a teammate when Rodri popped up to slot home the classy second-half winner.

Bernardo Silva was able to cut a ball back towards the top of the penalty area with a perfect pass that gifted Rodri a steady run up to fire in a shot unimpeded.

The Spanish star curled the ball around the defence and into the bottom corner from 16 yards out.

Romelu Lukaka will have nightmares of getting in his teammate’s way.

Romelu Lukaku made clean contact. Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images.

Romelu Lukaku headed it straight at the keeper. Photo by OZAN KOSE / AFP.

It was harder to miss that score at this range. Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images.

Replays showed Calhanoglu would have been able to block the shot if he’d have been able to stand one foot to the left of his teammate. Instead he seemed to disappear.

What came after the goal was just as dramatic.

First it was Federico Dimarco who bounced a header off the top bar after he was able to loop a bouncing ball over the top of keeper Andre Onana.

Off the rebound, Dimarco had another awkward header opportunity from outside the six-yard box, but his shot clattered into teammate Lukaku who found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It got worse for Lukaku when he failed to find the back of the net with his 89th minute header.

Sky Sports Pete Gill said: “Lukaku, from three yards out, had the entire goal at his mercy.

“Instead he sent his header straight at Ederson. Ball to knee more than knee to ball.

“An astonishing miss.”

Former Chelsea star Chris Sutton said on BBC Radio: “How has Lukaku missed that? I really don’t know. He’s four yards out. That’s an absolutely incredible miss.

“A big save from Ederson but he shouldn’t be allowed to save that. As misses go, that is horrendous.”

Having already claimed a fifth Premier League title in six seasons, and added the FA Cup, City are the first English club to win such a treble since Manchester United in 1999.

Twelve years after last lifting the trophy with Barcelona, meanwhile, Guardiola joins an elite club of coaches to have won the Champions League three times.

Originally published as ‘That’s astonishing’: Inter Milan cult hero’s absurd blunder