Manchester City have suffered too much heartbreak in Europe to ever take anything for granted when it comes to the Champions League, but 10 months ago Kevin De Bruyne's wife sensed this was finally going to be their year.
The way the Blues exited last season's competition, conceding twice in injury time in the Bernabeu to throw away a winning position against Real Madrid in the semi-final, only fuelled the sense they were cursed when it came to Europe.
In Istanbul, De Bruyne had admitted 24 hours before their second final in three years that winning it was both a dream and an obsession, but as the Belgian spoke to reporters with a medal draped around his neck, he also knew he would have to go and tell wife Michele Lacroix that she had been right after all.
City's nervy 1-0 win against Inter Milan in Istanbul's Ataturk Stadium made them champions of Europe at last and delivered a historic treble, but Lacroix had never been concerned.
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"I don’t know why [but] my wife said in August ‘you’re going to win the Champions League’. I’ve no idea why but she always maintained I would," said De Bruyne.
"She said today [before the game] ‘I’m not worried. You’ll be fine, you’ll win it’. In the end it’s a little bit of a shame because I have to tell her she was right. So that’s not the best!"
It had turned into a night for some light-hearted fun, but the 90 minutes of football had often been painstaking for City. They didn't show their best version of themselves against an aggressive and dogged Inter side and only settled the game with Rodri's goal midway through the second half.
Just as in Porto two years ago, it was a frustrating night on the pitch for De Bruyne. In his last final against Chelsea, he was forced off after a brutal challenge from Antonio Rudiger. This time he lasted just over half an hour before a hamstring injury he's been managing finally gave way.
De Bruyne has played for two months knowing that the injury could become more serious at any moment, which is why his playing time has been carefully managed by Guardiola, but he was happy to put his body on the line for his team.
"I did what I had to do. Obviously, I missed some games but the games like Arsenal, Bayern and Madrid I managed to do it," said the 31-year-old.
"I had some personal things that happened with my family on top of that and I managed that. Today the hamstring just snapped. I give everything for my team and the people in the club know that. I feel proud that I’ve been able to do what I did.
"I try to be available for my team and I know with the type of player I am there is sometimes a possibility with all the power and the type of runs I make and the intensity with which I play that I put my body on the line. But that’s fine. I do everything to win the game."
The Champions League has been the missing piece of the jigsaw for City for a long time. With chairman Sheikh Mansour in the Ataturk Stadium for just his second-ever game, it was a night that the club finally reached their goal under Guardiola.
But the desperation to win this trophy and the expectation that they would, one day, be crowned champions of Europe, meant De Bruyne admitted to feelings of relief and joy in the early hours of the Istanbul morning.
It had felt illuminating on Tuesday when he had said this trophy was a dream and an obsession, but basking in the warm glow of victory, he felt the night and the medal he prized above all others still didn't define him.
Asked how being referred to as a Champions League winner sounded, De Bruyne said: "Yeah it sounds good. I don’t know, my head feels a little bit empty for the moment. It’s just amazing, it’s incredible, I don’t know what to say.
"I’ve basically been fighting all my career with my team to win this medal, [but] I still don’t think it defines my career. I think it helps but I don’t judge myself or my career solely on this game," said De Bruyne.
"I know who I am as a football player and person and I am happy and proud of the person I am and I am satisfied with who I am. People can say so much about you but if you’re satisfied with yourself and do what you need to go and give your all you can be proud no matter what."
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