Manchester City Football Club, an English professional association football club, has gained entry to Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) competitions on multiple occasions. They have represented England in the European Cup (now the Champions League) on sixteen occasions, the UEFA Cup (now the Europa League) on eight occasions, in the now-defunct Cup Winners' Cup twice, the UEFA Super Cup once, and at the FIFA Club World Cup twice. Manchester City are one of thirteen English football clubs to have won European and worldwide titles, in City's case the 1969âÂÂ70 Cup Winners' Cup, 2022âÂÂ23 Champions League, 2023 Super Cup and 2023 Club World Cup.
The club's first entry into European competition occurred in 1968, as a result of winning the Football League Championship. However, the participation was short-lived, as Manchester City suffered a surprise defeat at the hands of Fenerbahçe in the first round. Entry into the Cup Winners' Cup the following season was more successful; Manchester City won the competition, defeating Górnik Zabrze 2âÂÂ1 in the final at the Prater Stadium in Vienna. The club reached the semi-finals of the same competition the following year, and continued to play European football regularly during the 1970s. City then endured a period of decline, and did not play in Europe again until 2003, a gap of 24 years. Since then, the Blues have qualified for European competition on a regular basis; they progressed past the quarter-final stage of a continental competition four times during that period, reaching the semi-finals of the 2015âÂÂ16 and 2021âÂÂ22 Champions League, losing their maiden European Cup final to Chelsea in 2020âÂÂ21, and winning their first-ever European championship in 2022âÂÂ23.
In the 1970s, Manchester City also had a track record of repeated entry into several of the non-UEFA sanctioned European competitions which were run in the era, including the Anglo-Italian League Cup and Texaco Cup.
European club football competitions began in the mid-1950s. Though Manchester City were moderately successful domestically in this period, the club did not play in Europe. City were not invited to play in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, and the European Cup Winners' Cup did not begin until 1960. When eight players from neighbours Manchester United lost their lives in the Munich air disaster when returning from a European Cup match in February 1958, UEFA wished for City to take United's place in the competition. City rejected the idea out of hand.
Manchester City's first appearance in European competition occurred during the 1968âÂÂ69 season. City played in the European Cup, by virtue of having won the 1967âÂÂ68 league championship. Extroverted Manchester City coach Malcolm Allison made a number of grandiose statements predicting how the team would fare, saying that City would "terrify Europe", and that "City will attack these people as they have not been attacked since the days of the old Real Madrid". The opposition in the first round was Turkish club Fenerbahçe. The City management did not scout Fenerbahçe in advance of the game, opting to rely on a report from Oscar Hold, an Englishman who had managed Fenerbahçe between 1965 and 1967. In the first leg at Maine Road, City had what the Guardians Albert Barham called "overwhelming territorial advantage". However, to the frustration of the home crowd City were denied by a strong defensive performance by Fenerbahçe, most notably by goalkeeper Yavuz à Âimà Âek, and the match finished 0âÂÂ0. The return leg in Istanbul was played in front of a Turkish record crowd. City took an early lead through Tony Coleman, but conceded two goals in the second half and were eliminated.
Manchester City won the 1969 FA Cup final to earn a place in the 1969âÂÂ70 European Cup Winners' Cup. Their first tie was against Athletic Bilbao, in Spain's Basque Country. Athletic were themselves managed by an Englishman, Ronnie Allen. In the first leg, City recovered from a two-goal deficit to secure a 3âÂÂ3 draw. The home leg was a comfortable 3âÂÂ0 win. Post-match reports alleged that a scuffle had taken place at half-time between Mike Doyle and José Ramón Betzuen. The referee spoke to both managers, but did not take any further action.
In the second round, City travelled to Belgians Lierse S.K. and won the first leg 3âÂÂ0, with two goals from Francis Lee and one from Colin Bell. The home leg produced a 5âÂÂ0 win, a club record for European competition that stood until 2019. The first leg of the quarter-finals, at Académica de Coimbra, took place three days before Manchester City were due to play in the League Cup final. Malcolm Allison rejected the prevailing British football orthodoxy, in which domestic competitions took priority, by saying he would rather win in Portugal than in the League Cup final. The match finished goalless. At Maine Road, extra-time was required for Manchester City to break down the stubbornly defensive Coimbra. Tony Towers scored the only goal of the tie with a minute of extra-time remaining.
The draw for the semi-finals meant Manchester City played the away leg first in every round, this time in Germany, where Schalke 04 were the opposition. City lost the first leg by a single goal. Needing to win at Maine Road by at least two goals, the Blues used a very attacking approach. It worked; City led 3âÂÂ0 at half-time and won the match 5âÂÂ1. In the final, they faced Górnik Zabrze of Poland, who had progressed via a coin toss after three matches with A.S. Roma could not produce a winner in the other semi-final.
The final was held at a neutral venue, Prater Stadium in Vienna. The match took place in torrential rain, adversely affecting the attendance. The official figure was 7,968, though sources vary, with a number of figures between 7,968 and 15,000 reported. Of those, approximately 5,000 were Manchester City supporters. Owing to Soviet Bloc travel restrictions, only 300 supporters, relatives and officials were permitted to travel from communist Poland by its government.
Manchester City started the match strongly, particularly Francis Lee; The Guardian correspondent wrote "Lee, indefatigable and nigh irresistible continually embarrassed the Górnik defence in the early stages". Lee had the first chance of the match, a close range shot which was saved by goalkeeper Hubert Kostka. Manchester City took the lead in the 12th minute. Lee cut in from the left wing, escaping a tackle from Alfred Olek, and struck a fierce shot. Kostka parried the ball, only for it to land at the feet of Neil Young for a simple finish. Shortly after, City defender Mike Doyle sustained an ankle injury after colliding with Stefan Florenski. The Blues played on with ten men for a period as Doyle received treatment from trainer Dave Ewing, but the defender was unable to continue. Substitute Ian Bowyer replaced him. The change prompted an alteration in formation, in which Colin Bell switched to a deeper position. Shortly before half-time, Young won the ball after loose play from Florenski, which put him clear on goal. As Young moved into the penalty area, Kostka rushed out of his goal and upended him, leaving the referee no option but to give a penalty. Lee struck the spot-kick with power into the centre of the goal. Kostka's legs made contact with the ball, but the force of the shot carried it into the net to make it 2âÂÂ0. Górnik got a goal back midway through the second half, but there were no more goals and the match finished 2âÂÂ1.
After the match, City manager Joe Mercer said "the heavy rain in the second half ruined the game" and that he was "quite happy with the performance of our team, although the technical level was rather low in the second half". Górnik manager Michaà  Matyas blamed his side's poor start, saying the "first goal came too early for us and we never recovered from this shock". The trophy was Manchester City's fourth major honour in three seasons. It made them the third English club to win the Cup Winners' Cup, after Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.
As title holders, Manchester City automatically qualified to defend the Cup Winners' Cup in the 1970âÂÂ71 season. Had they not won the trophy, they would still have been qualified for European competition, as City's victory in the 1970 League Cup granted a place in the Fairs Cup. As a UEFA-organised competition, the Cup Winners' Cup took precedence over the Fairs Cup, and so the club took a place in the former. In the first round, Manchester City almost suffered an upset at the hands of Linfield, from Belfast. City held a one-goal lead after the first leg, but Linfield twice took the lead in the second leg. The match finished 2âÂÂ1 to Linfield, and Manchester City progressed on the away goals rule. Honvéd were the opposition in the second round. Manchester City won both legs, with the score being 3âÂÂ0 on aggregate.
The quarter-finals saw a rematch with Górnik Zabrze, who City had beaten in the previous year's final. Both legs finished 2âÂÂ0 to the home team, so to separate the sides a third match was played on neutral ground, in Copenhagen. Despite having several players unavailable through injury, City won this match 3âÂÂ1, and were drawn to play fellow English club Chelsea in the semi-finals, the first time Manchester City had drawn another English club in European competition. Further injuries occurred in domestic fixtures in the run-up to the game, to the extent that goalkeeper Joe Corrigan played the first leg of the Chelsea tie unable to fully open his left eye because of a facial injury. City lost the first leg at Stamford Bridge 1âÂÂ0. Corrigan was unable to play in the second leg, in which stand-in goalkeeper Ron Healey conceded an own goal, resulting in another 1âÂÂ0 defeat.
A mid-table finish in the 1970âÂÂ71 season meant that for the first time in four years Manchester City did not qualify for Europe. The following year, a fourth-place league finish gave the club a berth in the UEFA Cup for the first time. The UEFA Cup had replaced the Fairs Cup in 1971, when control of the competition transferred to UEFA. City's debut in the competition was a short one. Drawn against a Valencia side managed by Alfredo Di Stéfano, City were bounced out in the second leg at the Mestalla 3âÂÂ2, despite producing a pulsating 2âÂÂ2 draw at Maine Road in the first leg.
Triumph in the 1976 League Cup final gave Manchester City a place in the UEFA Cup after a four-year absence. City drew Juventus in the first round. Drawn at home first, City won the first leg 1âÂÂ0, Brian Kidd scoring his first goal for the club. The second leg in Turin resulted in a 2âÂÂ0 defeat and elimination. Juventus went on to win the competition. As league runners-up in the 1976âÂÂ77 season, City again qualified for the UEFA Cup. Drawn against Widzew à Âódà º, the Blues drew the first leg at Maine Road 2âÂÂ2. In the late 1970s, hooliganism was becoming a more prominent part of English football. Following an incident where a fan invaded the pitch and attacked Widzew's Zbigniew Boniek, City were fined by UEFA, and fencing was erected between the pitch and the stands. A 0âÂÂ0 draw in à Âódà º resulted in City's elimination on the away goals rule.
A fifth-place finish in the 1977âÂÂ78 season proved sufficient to qualify for the UEFA Cup once again. Dutchmen FC Twente were the first opposition. In Enschede, Dave Watson gave City the lead. Twente equalised in the second half from a free kick. In the second leg City ran up a 3âÂÂ1 lead, but a second Twente goal meant a nervy finish. City held on, preserving their 3âÂÂ2 lead to win the tie. This was the first time the club had progressed past the first round of the UEFA Cup in four attempts. Further opposition from the Low Countries awaited in the second round, in the form of Standard Liège. A flurry of late goals gave Manchester City a 4âÂÂ0 lead after the first leg. The large lead meant that despite a 2âÂÂ0 defeat in Liège, in which Gary Owen received a red card, City progressed with ease. Owen's sending off resulted in a five match ban.
In the third round City faced four-time European trophy winners A.C. Milan. The first leg, held at the San Siro, was initially postponed due to fog, and was instead played the following day. City took a 2âÂÂ0 lead and came close to becoming the first English team to beat Milan at the San Siro, but conceded twice; the equaliser scored eight minutes from time. City won the home leg 3âÂÂ0, with goals from Booth, Hartford and Kidd. City's first European quarter-final since 1971 was against Borussia Mönchengladbach. The club received advice from Bob Paisley, whose Liverpool had met Mönchengladbach several times. City opened the scoring in the first leg, but while attempting to extend their lead were caught on the counter-attack and conceded an equaliser. After failing to win the home leg, having conceded an away goal in the process, City travelled to Germany with few expecting them to progress. So it proved, as City lost 3âÂÂ1 at the Bökelbergstadion.
Manchester City's fortunes declined during the 1980s and 1990s. For a single season, 1998âÂÂ99, the club fell as far as English football's third tier. The club did not qualify for European competition in this period. In ordinary circumstances, the club's fifth-placed finish in 1991 and 1992 would have granted a UEFA Cup place. However, English clubs had recently returned from a ban issued after the Heysel Stadium disaster. As the UEFA coefficient that determines the number of places per country is based upon performances in European competition over the previous five years, England had a reduced allocation until 1995.
By the 2002âÂÂ03 season, Manchester City were back in the Premier League. An unusual route into European competition for the 2003âÂÂ04 season was provided by the UEFA Respect Fair Play ranking, which allocated extra UEFA Cup qualifying round places for the leagues with the best records for discipline and positive play. This marked Manchester City's first European participation for 24 years. In the qualifying round City played Welsh club Total Network Solutions. The first leg was the first-ever competitive match at Manchester City's new ground, the City of Manchester Stadium. Trevor Sinclair became the first ever goalscorer at the stadium in a 5âÂÂ0 win. In the hope of attracting a large crowd, TNS switched the second leg to Millennium Stadium, the national stadium of Wales. With the tie effectively won, City made 10 changes to their team. The match finished 2âÂÂ0 to City. Against Sporting Lokeren in the first round proper, City won the home leg 3âÂÂ2, and the away leg 1âÂÂ0. A tie against Groclin Dyskobolia followed. Both legs were drawn, and just as in 1976, City were eliminated on away goals after a 0âÂÂ0 draw in Poland.
In 2008, Manchester City once again qualified for the UEFA Cup through the Fair Play rankings. As City had to play the qualifying rounds, it meant a very early start to the season, in mid-July. Their first match was a trip to the remote Faroe Islands to play EB/Streymur. As Streymur's ground had a capacity of only 1,000, the match was moved to Tórsvøllur, the Faroese national stadium. Two early goals gave City a 2âÂÂ0 win. The home leg was unusual in that it was played outside Manchester. The pitch at the City of Manchester Stadium had been relaid following a Bon Jovi concert, and was not ready in time. Instead, the match was played at Barnsley's Oakwell ground. Another 2âÂÂ0 win resulted in a 4âÂÂ0 aggregate scoreline. In the second qualifying round City played FC Midtjylland. The first leg ended in a 1âÂÂ0 defeat, only City's second ever home defeat in European competition. In the second leg City looked to be heading out of the competition until an 89th minute cross was diverted into his own net by Midtjylland's Danny Califf. The tie then went to extra time, and City progressed on penalties. In the first round proper Cypriots AC Omonia took the lead, but City overcame the deficit and won 2âÂÂ1, and also won the second leg by the same scoreline.
A five team group stage then followed, in which each team played the others once. Manchester City were drawn with Twente, Schalke 04, Racing de Santander and Paris Saint-Germain. City topped the group, after wins against Twente and Schalke, a draw with Paris Saint-Germain and a defeat in a dead rubber in Santander. The knockout stages then resumed, with a visit to F.C. Copenhagen in freezing conditions. City took the lead twice but could only draw 2âÂÂ2. The home leg was more comfortable, and ended in a 2âÂÂ1 victory. Another Danish club, Aalborg, awaited in the next round. Both matches finished 2âÂÂ0 to the home side, and the tie was decided by a penalty shootout, which Manchester City won. City then faced Hamburger SV, in their first European quarter-final since 1979. The away leg was played first, and started exceptionally well for Manchester City, as Stephen Ireland scored after just 35 seconds. However, Hamburg soon equalised, and won the match 3âÂÂ1. A difficult task in the home leg soon became even harder, when Hamburg scored an away goal early in the match. City scored twice, the first by Elano, who also hit the woodwork on two occasions with free-kicks. However, City could not produce the third goal that would have taken the tie into extra time.
UEFA rebranded and restructured the UEFA Cup in 2009, resulting in it becoming the UEFA Europa League. By finishing fifth in the 2009âÂÂ10 Premier League, Manchester City qualified for this competition. A play-off round took place before the four team group stage, in which Manchester City beat TimiÃÂoara of Romania home and away. City's group stage opponents were Juventus, Red Bull Salzburg and Lech Poznaà Â. Each team played the others twice. City's opener was in Salzburg, and resulted in a 2âÂÂ0 win. A 1âÂÂ1 draw at home to Juventus then followed. A 3âÂÂ1 win at home to Lech Poznaà  is remembered primarily not for the action on the pitch, in which Emmanuel Adebayor scored a hat-trick, but for the actions of the Polish supporters, whose backs to the pitch dance was later adopted by Manchester City fans, for whom it became known as The Poznaà Â. The return match with Lech Poznaà  resulted in a 3âÂÂ1 defeat, but a 3âÂÂ0 home victory over Red Bull Salzburg ensured qualification with a match to spare. The dead rubber against Juventus ended 1âÂÂ1, and Manchester City won the group. In the knockout stages City then beat Aris 3âÂÂ0 on aggregate, and met Dynamo Kyiv in the last 16. City lost 2âÂÂ0 in Kyiv, and had to play most of the second leg with ten men after Mario Balotelli was sent off. A 1âÂÂ0 win was insufficient to overcome the deficit, as City lost 2âÂÂ1 on aggregate.
Manchester City finished third in the 2010âÂÂ11 Premier League, to qualify for the rebranded version of the European Cup, the UEFA Champions League, for the first time since 1968. The club's league finish granted direct entry into the group stages without qualification. Their group stage opponents were Bayern Munich, Villarreal and Napoli. City's first group match was at home to Napoli. The Italians took the lead in the second half following a counter-attacking move, but five minutes later Aleksandar Kolarov scored from a free-kick to equalise, and the match finished 1âÂÂ1. City then lost 2âÂÂ0 at Bayern Munich, a match most notable for the refusal of Carlos Tevez to come on as substitute, which resulted in an exile from the first team lasting nearly six months. A double-header with Villarreal resulted in two Manchester City wins. Sergio Agüero scored a last-minute winner in the first, which finished 2âÂÂ1; the second was a comfortable 3âÂÂ0 victory. A 2âÂÂ1 defeat at Napoli then took qualification out of Manchester City's hands, and despite a 2âÂÂ0 win against group winners Bayern Munich, City finished third in the group and failed to qualify for the knockout stages.
As a third placed team the club then entered the Europa League in the round of 32, where they faced Europa League holders Porto. Manchester City won both legs. Agüero's goal after 19 seconds of the second leg was the second fastest in the history of the competition. City returned to Portugal in the next round, against Lisbon club Sporting CP. City lost the first leg 0âÂÂ1 in Lisbon and were trailing 0âÂÂ2 early in the home game. The team mounted a great comeback, scoring three goals, but it was not enough, as they were eliminated on away goals rule.
Manchester City qualified for the 2012âÂÂ13 UEFA Champions League as league champions and hope were high for the team to perform successfully. The team was drawn with Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, and AFC Ajax. Cityzens failed to win even a single watch, losing three and drawing three and failed to progress even to the Europa League knock-out stage, finishing last in their group.
The 2013âÂÂ14 UEFA Champions League campaign was a watershed moment for the team, as they won five games in the group stage and qualified for the knockout phase for the first time since 1968. However, City's performance in the round of 16 was a disappointment, as they dropped both games to Barcelona with an aggregate score of 1âÂÂ4. The team's next Champions League campaign was similar to the previous one, as Manchester City were again drawn with Bayern Munich and CSKA Moscow in the group stage and, after qualifying for the playoffs as the second best team, Cityzens once again had to face Barcelona. The final result saw little improvement, as Man City again lost both games but this time with an aggregate score of 1âÂÂ3. Barça went on to win the tournament.
The 2015âÂÂ16 UEFA Champions League campaign went on to become the most successful in history for City as they reached the semi-finals before being eliminated by Real Madrid after drawing the home game and losing at the Santiago Bernabéu 0âÂÂ1. Real Madrid went on to win the tournament. The Cityzens eliminated Dynamo Kyiv and Paris on their way to the semi-finals.
In the first season under the reign Pep Guardiola, Manchester City progressed to the knockout phase after finishing second in the group that featured Guardiola's former team, Barcelona. City lost their away match to Barça 0âÂÂ4, but then rebounded to win 3âÂÂ1 at home. In the Round of 16 City were drawn against Monaco. The Blues were trailing 1âÂÂ2 and 2âÂÂ3 in their home match before scoring three unanswered goals and winning 5âÂÂ3. In the away game, the Cityzens were down 0âÂÂ2 when Leroy Sané scored to put City in front of the tie again, but Tiémoué Bakayoko's late goal meant that Monaco progressed further and City were eliminated.
In 2017âÂÂ18, Manchester City won the Premier League with 100 points. In their European campaign, the team won five games in the group stage and qualified for the knockout stage, where they defeated Basel 5âÂÂ2 on aggregate. The Cityzens were drawn with fellow Premier League side Liverpool in the quarter-finals. City lost 5âÂÂ1 on aggregate and were eliminated.
In the 2018âÂÂ19 UEFA Champions League, City won their group with 13 points, then defeated Schalke 04 in the Round of 16, winning their home game with a record 7âÂÂ0 scoreline. Against Tottenham Hotspur in the quarter-finals, they lost the away game 0âÂÂ1, with Agüero missing a penalty. In the home leg, Sterling scored early for the hosts, but then City quickly conceded two goals and replied with three to lead 4âÂÂ2 twenty minutes before the end of the game, but Fernando Llorente's wrongly awarded handball meant that City were again required to score. In stoppage time, Sterling converted a pass from Agüero to seemingly send City through, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review, and the Blues were eliminated. Manchester City won all their domestic tournaments that season.
Acknowledging that City would be judged by their Champions League performance after all, Guardiola stated that the new season's main objective would be to win the European title. The Cityzens progressed to the knockout phase and faced old foes Real Madrid there. City won the away game 2âÂÂ1, but the remainder of the tournament was indefinitely postponed due to the COVIDâÂÂ19 pandemic. Finally, UEFA announced that the tournament would be resumed in August 2020. The home match against Madrid was scheduled for 7 August. Thanks to goals from Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus, the Citizens once again defeated Madrid 2âÂÂ1, achieving a 4âÂÂ2 victory on aggregate and advancing to the quarter-finals. City faced Lyon on 15 August, losing 3âÂÂ1 and exiting the Champions League at the quarter-final stage for the third year in a row.
The 2020âÂÂ21 campaign saw City top its group with a club record of 16 points, twice defeating Marseille and Olympiacos, and collecting four points against Porto. In the round of 16, the Blues were paired with Borussia Mönchengladbach and progressed to the quarter-finals for the fourth consecutive year after winning both legs 2âÂÂ0. In the quarter-finals, City were paired against another German outfit, this time Borussia Dortmund. The Blues managed to neutralize Dortmund's inform striker Erling Haaland to win the double-legged tie 4âÂÂ2 on aggregate after two identical 2âÂÂ1 wins home and away. In the semi-finals, Manchester City were drawn against reigning finalists Paris Saint-Germain who'd avenged their loss to Bayern Munich in the 2020 final by knocking out the German club in their quarter-final tie on away goals. City rallied from behind to win 2âÂÂ1 at the Parc des Princes thanks to goals by Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez. In the second leg, a goal in either half from Mahrez booked City's place in their first-ever European Cup final, which happened to be an all-English affair against Chelsea, with a 4âÂÂ1 aggregate victory. The final took place at the Estádio do Dragão in Porto, Portugal, and the Citizens were defeated 1âÂÂ0 by a lone goal scored by Kai Havertz. Still, City's breakthrough marked their most successful European campaign to date. As a consequence of that successful campaign, City entered the top four in the UEFA rankings, placing third.
City once again reached the Champions League semi-finals in the 2021âÂÂ22 competition. They won a group including Paris Sant Germain, RB Leipzig and Club Brugges with four victories and two defeats. In the round of 16 they earnt a commanding first leg lead in their tie against Sporting Lisbon, beating the Portuguese champions 5âÂÂ0 away including two goals from Bernardo Silva. before wrapping up the victory with a 0âÂÂ0 draw at home. In the quarter-final a 1âÂÂ0 victory in the first leg at home gave City a slight advantage against Atlético Madrid as they headed to Madrid. A 0âÂÂ0 draw then ensured City progressed to the semi-finals. There, City beat Real Madrid 4âÂÂ3 i to take a slender advantage to the Bernabéu. City scored in under two minutes as Kevin De Bruyne finished the fastest goal in European Cup semi-final history and had held a two-goal advantage on three occasions during the tie, but Real Madrid limited them to a 4âÂÂ3 win with goals from Karim Benzema. City led the second leg 1âÂÂ0 (5âÂÂ3 on aggregate), from a 75th-minute goal from Riyad Mahrez, but two late goals in a minute from Madrid's substitute striker Rodrygo sent the game into extra time; and another penalty from Benzema five minutes later proved to be the winner as City were defeated 1âÂÂ3 (5âÂÂ6 on aggregate). D City retained the third place in the UEFA rankings.
For the third consecutive season, and for the fourth time in the club's history, City reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2022âÂÂ23. After topping their group of Borussia Dortmund of the Bundesliga, Sevilla of La Liga and F.C. Copenhagen of the Danish Superliga undefeated, with four wins and two draws, the Blues were drawn up against RB Leipzig in the round of 16 for the third and fourth fixtures between the sides in their histories. At the Red Bull Arena, Riyad Mahrez's first half opener was cancelled out by Joà ¡ko Gvardiol in the second half, and City drew 1âÂÂ1 after being denied a penalty in the final seconds. City defeated the German side 7âÂÂ0 in the second leg, with a record-equalling five goals from Erling Haaland, and one each from new captain ðlkay GündoÃÂan and from Kevin De Bruyne. The Blues would then be drawn up against another Bundesliga side, this time Bayern Munich, reigning German champions. In the first leg at the Etihad Stadium, City won 3âÂÂ0, with a first Champions League goal for Rodri and one each from Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland. The following week, they drew 1âÂÂ1 at the Allianz Arena, with another goal from Haaland confirming City's semi-finals spot 4âÂÂ1 on aggregate to face Real Madrid there for the second consecutive season. The first leg was played at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, and VinÃÂcius Júnior gave Madrid a 1âÂÂ0 lead at half time. However, City's Kevin De Bruyne equalised for a 1âÂÂ1 draw. Manchester City sealed their spot in the final with a 4âÂÂ0 win in the second leg at the Etihad Stadium, with a first-half brace from Bernardo Silva, and second-half goals from Manuel Akanji and Julián ÃÂlvarez.
On 10 June 2023, at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in front of 71,412 supporters, a second-half goal from Rodri saw Manchester City win the Champions League final against Inter Milan, completing a historic continental treble, only the second in English men's football history. In doing so, City completed a task of winning the UEFA Champions League set out 15 years ago in 2008 when the club was purchased by the Abu Dhabi United Group. In the fifth minute, Bernardo Silva curled an effort just wide. Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne both had efforts, but they were saved by Inter goalkeeper André Onana. In the 36th minute, De Bruyne was substituted due to injury. In the 59th minute, City's keeper Ederson failed to collect a backpass from Manuel Akanji which was found by Inter's Lautaro MartÃÂnez; his shot from near the touchline was blocked by Ederson. Rodri scored the opening goal for City in the 68th minute by finishing a pulled-back pass that Bernardo Silva sent from near the goal to the top of the penalty area. Inter had a chance to equalise three minutes later through a header by defender Federico Dimarco that hit the crossbar. Dimarco tried to capitalise on the rebound as well, but his shot was blocked by teammate Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian striker had his own chance to score from a close-range header in the 89th minute, which Ederson blocked with his legs. The Brazilian made an additional save in stoppage time off Robin Gosens' header to preserve a 1âÂÂ0 victory for City. With this being the club's first European Cup title (making them the first new winners of the competition since fellow English club Chelsea in 2012), City became the sixth English team, and 23rd overall, to win the European Cup, which also marked the 15th time an English club were European champions. With this triumph, Manchester City topped the UEFA coefficient rankings.
In August 2023, City won the UEFA Super Cup for the first time in their history, defeating Sevilla 5âÂÂ4 on penalties after a 1âÂÂ1 draw in Athens. Later that year, the club travelled to Saudi Arabia to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup, prevailing over Fluminense 4âÂÂ0 in the final. This was City's first triumph in the competition, making them world champions at club level.
Manchester City's defence of their European crown in the 2023âÂÂ24 UEFA Champions League began strongly, as they won all six of their group stage matches. However, they were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Real Madrid, losing on penalties after a 4âÂÂ4 aggregate draw across the two legs. Despite falling short of back-to-back titles, the campaign underlined their consistency in European competition.
The 2024âÂÂ25 season saw City struggle to perform in the new league format and they were once again eliminated by Real Madrid in the play-off round for the last 16, failing to reach that stage for the first time since 2012âÂÂ13.
The Blues qualified for the expanded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States by virtue of winning the 2022âÂÂ23 UEFA Champions League. The tournament was the first to feature 32 teams. City were drawn into Group G alongside Juventus, Al Ain FC and Wydad AC. They began their campaign with a 2âÂÂ0 victory over Wydad AC, followed by a 6âÂÂ0 win against Al Aind. City's final group match saw them beat Juventus 5âÂÂ2, with Erling Haaland among the scorers, ensuring they topped the group with a perfect record of three wins from three. In the knockout phase, Manchester City faced Saudi Arabian champions Al-Hilal. Bernardo Silva gave City an early lead, but two quick goals from Marcos Leonardo and Malcom early in the second half put Al-Hilal ahead. Haaland equalised before full-time, sending the match into extra time. Extra time saw Kalidou Koulibaly restore Al-Hilal's advantage, with Phil Foden responding for City. However, Marcos Leonardo scored his second goal in the 112th minute to seal a 4âÂÂ3 win for Al-Hilal and eliminate City from the tournament at the round of 16 stage. The defeat was considered one of the shocks of the competition, as City had dominated their group stage matches and were widely regarded as favourites. Manager Pep Guardiola described the elimination as "a pity" but emphasised the need for recovery and reflection after a long season.
In September 2025, Erling Haaland became the fastest player to reach 50 goals in the UEFA Champions League, having achieved the milestone in just 49 appearances during a 2âÂÂ0 victory against Napoli on Matchday 1 of the 2025âÂÂ26 UEFA Champions League.
In addition to the major UEFA competitions, Manchester City have also played a number of first team fixtures in other, more minor multi-national competitions. As winners of the 1970 League Cup, Manchester City played against the Coppa Italia winners Bologna in the Anglo-Italian League Cup. The competition started the previous year, as a way of enabling 1969 League Cup winners Swindon Town to play European opposition. For the first leg in Bologna, the City team stayed over 100 km (60 miles) away in the coastal resort of Rimini, and took a relaxed attitude to proceedings. City lost the match 1âÂÂ0, and drew 2âÂÂ2 at home, losing the competition.
After missing out on a UEFA berth for 1971âÂÂ72, Manchester City were invited to play in the Texaco Cup, a competition for English, Scottish and Irish teams. City fielded a weakened side for the second leg of their tie against Airdrieonians. As punishment Manchester City had their ã1,000 prize money withheld and were banned from the competition for two years. Upon the expiry of the suspension in 1974, the club entered the competition again, but exited in the group stage. The tournament saw Denis Law play his final matches as a professional. The withdrawal of Irish teams saw the competition renamed the Anglo-Scottish Cup the following year. Again, City failed to progress beyond the group stage.
<small>*Other winning semi-finalists are shown in italics. Tournaments winners are in bold.</small>
Manchester City have played against 75 different clubs internationally.
The UEFA club coefficients are based on the results of clubs competing in the five previous seasons of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League. The rankings determine the seeding of each club in relevant UEFA competition draws. The table and graph below show the progress of City's rankings in these coefficients since they re-entered the Europa League competition in 2010âÂÂ11 as of the end of the season specified.