Manchester City won their first silverware of the campaign as Pep Guardiola’s side survived a sloppy start to triumph on spot-kicks against Sevilla and lift the UEFA Super Cup.
Having lost the Community Shield to Arsenal on penalties 10 days ago, last season’s swashbuckling treble winners initially wilted in the Greek heat versus the Europa League holders.
Youssef En-Nesyri put Sevilla ahead and City rode their luck, only to draw level through Cole Palmer’s looping header as their maiden Super Cup appearance ended 1-1 after 90 minutes and went to a shoot-out.
The first nine penalty takers all converted before Nemanja Gudelj smashed his effort off the crossbar, seeing Guardiola’s Champions League winners triumph 5-4 on spot-kicks in Piraeus.
The Spaniard became the first manager to win the Super Cup with three different teams and equalled Carlo Ancelotti’s record of four competition victories as coach.
City are the sixth English side to lift the trophy but were made to sweat by Jose Luis Mendilibar’s Sevilla, who went ahead through En-Nesyri’s powerful first-half header.
The LaLiga outfit could easily have grabbed a second during a strong start to the second period, only for man of the match Palmer to equalise with a header.
Sevilla survived a late City onslaught but could not avoid a sixth straight Super Cup defeat as the match passed midnight and went to penalties at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium.
Recent signing Josko Gvardiol made his full debut in Greece, where Kevin De Bruyne was missing having sustained a hamstring issue that means he might face surgery and up to four months out.
Kyle Walker instead wore the captain’s armband and City fans sung their injured star’s name in the opening minutes, with Yassine Bounou clawing away an awkward early Nathan Ake header.
The Sevilla goalkeeper produced another fine stop as Jack Grealish jinked away from attention and attempted to whip in from the edge of the box.
Gvardiol lashed over following a Bounou punch and went on to receive detailed instructions from Guardiola during a cooling break midway through the opening period.
The City boss will likely have more to say to the Croatia international following Sevilla’s 25th-minute opener.
A driven ball from Bounou was able to reach the centre circle and play continued out to the left, where Marcos Acuna whipped over a cross for En-Nesyri to power in a header off the post having got between Ake and Gvardiol.
Erik Lamela struck wide as Sevilla sought a quickfire second as City found the Spanish side’s spine hard to break down. Rodri headed over and Grealish saw a stoppage-time cross just fail to find a target.
Penalty appeals against Gvardiol were ignored when play resumed and Sevilla wasted a glorious chance to make it 2-0 in the 50th minute.
Lucas Ocampos skipped over a Walker challenge and raced down the left, continuing to send a pinpoint ball across for En-Nesyri to strike straight at Ederson.
The frustrated striker fizzed an effort wide soon after and Joan Jordan saw a knuckleball free-kick saved as City struggled.
Ocampos hit a cross-shot wide and a slight Walker touch prevented En-Nesyri getting away another close-range attempt.
City lacked defensive solidity and attacking coherency, but Palmer provided a 63rd minute shot in the arm.
Rodri floated a cross that went over Erling Haaland but found the 21-year-old, who stretched to beat Bounou with a header as he added to his Community Shield goal.
En-Nesyri immediately saw an attempt to put Sevilla back ahead stopped but momentum had swung City’s way, with a Palmer effort being pushed behind before a drinks break.
Sevilla had lost their composure on the ball but retained the nous and hard work they have long been associated with.
Walker saw a cross deflected across the face of goal and Grealish thrashed an effort at Bounou as City attempted to punish drained Sevilla.
Bounou tipped over another Ake header into the ground and Walker flashed over from distance but there was to be no late winner as the match went to penalties.
Gudelj’s thumping 12-yard effort came back off the bar to spark City celebrations.
