Manchester City are the new treble kings of Manchester after their Champions League victory over Inter Milan in Istanbul on Saturday, but we all know that it was no overnight success.
Pep Guardiola has overseen a season of near perfection as his side picked up the three major trophies they were competing for at the start of the season, culminating in their first ever European Cup.
it has been a remarkable feat of management from the Catalan, and a season that hasn't been without his big and often controversial calls.
Here are five key steps on City's route to the treble.
1. Developing a siege mentality
When Manchester City were charged for 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League ’s financial regulations in February, they had just lost to Tottenham.
Pep Guardiola came out defending his club in public - and inside the Etihad dressing room he used City’s fight to clear their name to build a siege mentality.
The Blues then went on a run that saw them lose one of their last 28 games, overhauling Arsenal in the Premier League, beating Manchester United in the FA Cup final and overcoming Inter Milan to lift the Champions League.
2. A surprise exit
Joao Cancelo was one of Guardiola’s go-to players, a full-back of immense talent who could play on either flank and also had the ability to step into midfield.
But when the Portuguese international started kicking off over a lack of game-time, he was gone - packed off to Bayern Munich on-loan despite the fact that City would draw the German giants in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Cancelo put his headphones on when Guardiola was talking. When the City boss told him he was on the substitutes’ bench for one game, he threw himself on the floor.
Guardiola wanted him out - and the club backed his judgement.
3. Benching Kevin De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne has once again been the king of the assists.
But when the Belgian midfielder allowed his standards to drop in March just as City were building some momentum, he was dropped to the bench and told by Guardiola that his performances weren’t good enough.
De Bruyne was furious, especially when his manager went public with his criticism.
But Guardiola knows what makes his star man tick - and when De Bruyne was brought back into the team he responded with a string of stellar performances that took the Blues into top gear during the business end of the season.
4. The evolution of John Stones
John Stones made more dribbles in a Champions League final than any other player since Lionel Messi in 2015.
Guardiola has spent seven seasons trying to convince the central defender that he really could live up to his nickname as the Barnsley Beckenbauer - and this was the season when he delivered on that potential.
Stones illustrated his developing versatility by deputising for Kyle Walker when the right-back was sidelined by injury.
And after hours spent working with Guardiola on the training ground, he was asked to step into the inverted full-back role as Cancelo’s attitude problem started to become a real issue.
His role was tweaked again when his manager asked him to move into an advanced role from centre-back - and he is already one of the game’s best defensive midfielders.
5. Doing the dirty work
City have often been viewed as brilliant technicians without the stomach for a fight when the going gets tough.
No longer. Guardiola made the decision last summer that he would stiffen his team’s resolve by building a defence with players who love to do the dirty work.
City have often employed four centre-backs this season - with various combinations of Ruben Dias, Stones, Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake and Aymetic Laporte.
When City have required extra pace, he has called on another player who takes immense pride from winning one-on-one battles in the shape of speedster Kyle Walker.
The Treble winners have got a steel fist inside a velvet glove.
