The unlikely boy! Edin Dzeko was sold by Manchester City eight years ago and is still going strong at the age of 37.
- Edin Dzeko hopes to strike back against his former side Manchester City
- The Bosnian forward will face the English side in the Champions League final
- Despite being 37 years old, Dzeko has proven to be a vital player for Inter Milan
Only one player in Saturday’s Champions League final is guaranteed to be praised by both sets of supporters in Istanbul. At 37, Edin Dzeko continues to play a vital role in Inter Milan’s chances of beating Manchester City, a club he bears great affection for after helping them win their first two Premier League titles.
Remarkably, when City sold 29-year-old Dzeko to Roma in 2015, they believed he was the right age to leave to create opportunities for younger strikers like Kelechi Iheanacho. Manager Manuel Pellegrini confirmed: “It was not for the money but to give others a chance.”
But eight years later, the Bosnian is about to take part in the biggest club competition in the world in what could be his last game for the Nerazzurri, with his contract expiring in the summer.
While Dzeko’s numbers are down from the 72 goals in 189 games he scored during his City prime, he remains a huge influencer.
His semi-final volley against AC Milan set Inter on their way to a famous 3-0 aggregate victory and is said to have reminded City fans of his huge contributions to them – most notably in 2012 when his late equalizer against QPR saw iconic title-winning Sergio Agüero moment.
Edin Dzeko hopes to strike against his former team in the Champions League final
The Bosnian striker spent five years at the Etihad before making the move to Italy’s top flight
He also scored twice in the famous 6-1 win over Old Trafford and again after 45 seconds in another win against Manchester United.
City manager Brian Marwood may say ‘I feel sorry for Edin as his QPR goal is often forgotten compared to Sergio’s winner’ but Blues fans do remember and continued to chant Dzeko’s name long after he left the club .
In turn, he adores them and posted ‘See you in Istanbul’ on social media when this season’s finalists were confirmed.
“It’s normal for me to follow City’s results because I feel like it’s still my club,” he admits. “It makes me proud that I haven’t been forgotten.”
Saturday night will be an exception, of course, with Dzeko hoping to add the Champions League to the domestic titles won in Germany and England. He also has two Italian Cups, although he was disappointed to be substituted in this season’s win against Fiorentina.
The European final in Istanbul could provide extra motivation, as his football idol Andriy Shevchenko missed the penalty shootout against Liverpool in 2005. was different when I played against him – I asked him at half-time,” Dzeko smiled. “It’s stored in my house in Sarajevo.”
Mention of Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia, is also important. Dzeko’s longevity can be partially explained by a style of play that relies on technical ability rather than pace. But it is also a mindset. Football took on a special meaning growing up in Sarajevo during the terrible conflict that led to thousands of deaths.
His city was under siege for four years, with the stadium of his local club Zeljezničar being one of the first to be bombed. Still, the club’s academy continued to work through the darkest of times and young Dzeko found solace in playing and collecting Panini stickers from his heroes.
Most of Bosnia’s squad that reached the World Cup in 2014 grew up abroad after fleeing war, but Dzeko’s experiences in Sarajevo earned him special status.
Dzeko had already won the Bundesliga title and the German Golden Boot with Wolfsburg when he joined City in early 2011.
It took him 10 games to score his first Premier League goal, but as the striker says with a twinkle in his eye, “To have such a good second season, you have to play the first.”
The 37-year-old has scored four goals during his side’s run in European competition
Dzeko scored 19 times as City were crowned champions in 2012 and also scored 12 goals as Bosnia qualified for the World Cup.
City’s director of football, Txiki Begiristain, wisely said of Dzeko’s personality. “He’s a player who needs to feel important to the team and also a little loved by the manager.”
Simone Inzaghi has been praised for his man management at San Siro, juggling the egos of several strikers Dzeko, Lukaku and World Cup winner Lautaro Martinez.
It has worked with Inter up to their first final since Jose Mourinho’s side in 2010. Dzeko would be the sentimental choice – not just for Italian fans, but for City as well.