As they introduced their sky blue shirts to Istanbul’s blue mosque and posed beside a giant cup on Taksim Square, there was a question on the lips of many of the older fans in particular: could this really be the moment they officially vanquish the curse of ‘City-itis’?
A win on Saturday evening against Internazionale of Italy in Istanbul’s 75,000-capacity Atatürk Olympic Stadium will not only deliver Manchester City their first Champions League – the club’s second piece of European silverware in its 140 year history – but complete what newspapers are duty bound to report as the “historic treble”: a slam-dunk haul of the Uefa Champions League, FA Cup and Premier League title.