Steve Howey reacts to Manchester City's Champions League win

Well these are live shots from Manchester City's team hotel out in Istanbul. Plenty of the players going to be leaving shortly to start their journey back to the UK, back to Manchester where no doubt the crowds will be waiting for them. We're going to bring you these pictures as soon as we see the players. We did see a few players earlier on, just a couple. We saw some of the players leaving Here he is, a couple of amazing saves from him last night. He's got his glasses on, must have a sore head, got his medal on as well, why not? And then the captain Ilkay Gundogan also made an appearance. Has he played his final game in a Man City shirt? We'll find out soon but for now let's head back to the Etihad Stadium where we can rejoin our reporter Alan Irwin. Good morning Alan once again. This is going to take a while to sink in for City fans isn't it? You talked about sore heads just a moment ago. I'm sure many in Manchester are waking up with exactly those this morning but waking up absolutely delighted because Manchester City are champions of Europe and I am delighted to have a former Manchester City player, Manchester City defender alongside me, Steve Howie is with me. Steve no sore head for you but very happy and relieved Steve Howie. Absolutely, I mean it was obviously a game that you're looking forward to. Excited but very nervous. The game itself in the first half kind of as to plan what you would kind of expect but the second half was kind of an open game but you know to watch it at the end and being so nervous but just to get over the line was absolutely brilliant. It was a different Manchester City we had to see last night. They had to show that resolve and resilience against a very physical Inter Milan side. Is that what you expected really? We didn't see the free-flowing beautiful football of Manchester City that we did against Real Madrid here for example. No it didn't and I think you could also tell even in the first 15-20 minutes the passing wasn't like kind of Man City like. They were giving the ball away a little bit too cheaply and when they did kind of compose themselves because I remember once that the camera went on Pep Guardiola and he was just shouting to the players relax just kind of calm down so it can get on top of you but Milan, Inter Milan did brilliant because they just had the bank the six and then obviously they had the other lads in front of them as well so made it really difficult to break down. They got on their stride a little bit had a couple of half chances but obviously to work the goal the way that they did and Rodri I mean what a finish because the temptation there is to hit it as hard as you can and he's obviously looked up he's picked his spot and just guided him with the side of his foot just around the two defenders goalkeeper no chance. Rodri the goal scoring hero but there were others on the pitch as well let's talk first of all about John Stones before we talk about Ederson. Well John Stones has always been a good player but going into that midfield I mean he's been absolutely exceptional and I mean exceptional for me there was a period in the game he was the best player on the park by far confident composed just running the show when you look at the quality that's on on show in that game with the individuals he was absolutely superb you look at Ruben Diaz how aggressive he is you know the leader that he is but everybody played the part but John Stones in particular wow unbelievable. How nervous were you in those final 10 minutes and how thankful are you for Ederson? Yeah Ederson's done brilliant I mean obviously the car coup let's be honest should he score probably yes you can see it just hit the goalkeeper but the goalkeeper's got to be in the right spot and then he kind of has reflexes to kind of just get it away I think Ruben Diaz does brilliant as well because he heads it out because there's another interval and play there and then the final seconds the corner oh dear that was one obviously it's a flick on and you can see there's one angle it's going right into the side net and so he gets a great hand on that but very nervy for everybody watching I'm sure the fans obviously the stadium but everybody watching worldwide it was Man City fans that was that was heart and mouth time. And how do you feel as a former player for the likes of Kevin de Bruyne it happened in the last Champions League final as well he couldn't see the whole game out? Yeah I mean it's devastating because obviously it's the pinnacle of a career when it comes to you know domestic football I suppose so obviously heartbreak for him but listen he's been a huge part of this success that Man City's had and a huge part certainly this season as well so as I said he's definitely played his part but it just goes to show how good the quality is at Man City when you've got somebody like Phil Ford Newton come on you know arguably could get into any team in Europe and it's starting team so that's a fantastic replacement but yeah a little bit disappointing for him but I'm sure he'll be joining in the celebrations with the lads last night and carrying on until tomorrow. Another who's certainly played his part this season is Erling Haaland didn't get a goal last night but 52 goals in 53 games speaks for itself really. Exactly I mean you've heard the manager when he's been sort of saying this with Champions League we've got players like Messi and Haaland and obviously that proved probably he's not his best game last night but I just think his sheer presence his movement I think that causes defenders huge problems but of course his goals his contribution in goals and not only that his assists as well and sometimes as a defender or people don't seem to realise yeah he mightn't get on the bench or he mightn't have an assist but it's actually that movement that he has that causes chaos amongst defenders because defenders are worried about where he is so he creates that space that creates the space for an assist or a goal so again he's had an absolutely fantastic season. And what about the future will Ilkay Gundogan be part of this Manchester City team next season? Well you hope so I mean he's been the go-to guy really hasn't he he's been absolutely fantastic led the team he's the captain and obviously the deal that he's looking for I think it is a case of a two-year deal let's just hope that you know the club the management and he can get it sorted out so he does stop. Well he's big pals with Pep isn't he so it shouldn't be a problem and talking of Pep Guardiola what an achievement Champions League has been the aim here for him at Manchester City he's won it before of course with with Barcelona and he's he's done a treble now three times remarkable. Well a superb manager you know he's obviously up there with the best managers ever there was always that though of the Champions League which was you know going to get thrown and it was interesting to listen to his interviews last night as well so I think everybody's delighted that now that question can't be asked Adam because he's done it and I'm as I said I'm absolutely delighted for him you could see when he was obviously speaking to the owners about like next season and the next finals at Wembley and he was like wow I've literally just stopped this campaign so I mean we all know how intense he is you know when it comes details but I just think him and the rest of the boys do need a bit of a break just to recoup and then start again which is not too far away ridiculously so. It's always difficult to compare eras isn't it but with Pep Guardiola it looks like he is going to go down as one of the greatest if not the greatest do you see it that way as well? Well he's still got time hasn't he I mean obviously as I said it's all about different eras but in his era he's been outstanding manager of course I suppose in his area he kind of overlaps with Sir Alex Ferguson who we all know was absolutely amazing as well right up there but he's in illustrious company and deservedly so for what he's done. People talk about him reinventing football which is not quite the case but he certainly gets his team playing in a different manner different styles and certainly takes the opposition into account we talked about John Stones early but I suppose now if you go on a Sunday league pitch in the morning they start playing out from the back. Yeah maybe it's not the wisest decision as well especially being out on the side tonight but some of them think that there could be John Stones or Kevin De Bruyne which doesn't quite work but yeah I mean obviously there's the different things that he comes up with the vast majority of times it does work sometimes it doesn't but as I said just that you know the inverted full backs and then obviously bringing John Stones into that midfield has been a master stroke but John Stones has had to carry that off it's all very well the manager sort of saying to the player I want you to go in there and do x y and z it's about execution and he has done it unbelievably well. Final question they've dominated English football for the last few seasons five Premier League titles in six seasons can they go on and dominate Europe now? Well again that was the the question posed or the answer really Pep gave sort of said a lot of teams that do win the Champions League will tend to fade away but given him and his personality and the way that he is he does not want that to happen so let's see what happens. Steve you'll be smiling for quite some time I'm absolutely sure as will all the Manchester City fans of course and they'll be out in numbers tomorrow when the Manchester City team parade the three trophies the treble through the streets of Manchester. Thanks ever so much Alan.