When Inter Milan face Treble-chasing Manchester City in the Champions League final on Saturday they could be spearheaded by a 37-year-old who was cast off by the Citizens eight years ago.
Edin Dzeko’s goals helped propel the Sky Blues to two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and an EFL Cup.
For Inter, the striker could cap off his star-studded career with a Champions League winners’ medal having already scored the crucial opener in his side’s semi-final win over bitterest rivals AC Milan.
If anyone can stop Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering side, it might just be the “intelligent”, “influential” forward out to seek revenge on his former club.
After all the build-up, Inter needed just eight minutes to take the lead against AC Milan in their Champions League semi-final first leg.
Hakan Calhanoglu chipped in a corner which Bosnian Dzeko had the presence of mind, and quality, to meet with a hooked left-footed volley into the top corner.
“There are so few top strikers in the world that score that type of goal,” former Scotland forward Pat Nevin told BBC Sport.
“It was behind him, you expect him to take a touch but he guides it. What a finish, a cracker!”
Dzeko’s goal kickstarted Inter’s 3-0 aggregate win. Across both legs his work-rate and hold-up play continuously created chances for team-mates.
“He’s a very intelligent football player, he has a finesse about him as well,” said Italian football expert James Horncastle on BBC Radio 5 Live.
“He is a very technically gifted footballer, he can come short and play as a number 10. He is involved all the time.”
No Aguero moment without Dzeko
Dzeko may still be scoring well into his 38th year, but City fans will always remember him for one particular finish.
Trailing Queens Park Rangers 2-1 on the final day of the 2011-12 season, Dzeko rose highest to head home a dramatic 92nd-minute leveller.
Minutes later, and thanks to Sergio Aguero’s legendary winner, City lifted their first Premier League title.
Without Dzeko, though, there would be no Aguero moment.
“I just think the longevity, it’s very rare to still be able to play at this level, after being so good so long ago, and still have an impact,” said European football expert Julien Laurens.
“It’s the same with Ibra [Zlatan ibrahimovic] and Paolo Maldini and all of those guys. I still don’t know at 37 how you can be so influential in such a big game. It’s crazy.”
Of the 18 players in City’s squad from that famous day against QPR 11 years ago, only goalkeeper Joe Hart and midfielder James Milner were still playing Champions League football this season.
Former international team-mate Asmir Begovic puts Dzeko’s agelessness down to his excellent work ethic.
“He is a world class player,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live. “It is no surprise to me he is doing this, having known him for 15 years.
“He is dedicated to the game, disciplined, looks after himself immaculately. He leads the front line perfectly.”
From Sarajevo to Serie A
Dzeko, who grew up in Sarajevo during the Bosnian war, began his football career in 2003 at local side Zeljeznicar.
Then a creative midfielder he would soon move to Czechian outfit FK Teplice and then on to Felix Magath’s Wolfsburg in 2007.
Nicknamed the ‘Bosnian Diamond’, Dzeko would score 85 goals in 142 appearances for Wolfsburg helping the German side lift the Bundesliga title in 2009 for the first time in the club’s history.
“In the 2009 Ballon d’Or rankings he finished 13th,” added Laurens. “I find it amazing. He was the 13th best player in the world 14 years ago and now he’s still scoring important goals.”
In January 2011 he joined City for £27m. At the time, only Robinho (£32.5m) had cost the Premier League side more.
Dzeko’s first goal for the club was a late equaliser to prevent an embarrassing defeat by Notts County in the fourth round of the FA Cup. City would go on to win the competition that season, their first trophy for 35 years.
After helping City to two Premier League titles, Dzeko left for Roma, at first on loan and then permanently in October 2015.
He was Serie A’s top scorer in the 2016-17 season, before moving to Inter six years later where he has lifted the Coppa Italia in each of his past two campaigns.
“His career shouldn’t be underestimated,” added Horncastle.
“He’s been the top scorer in two of the top five leagues. He is a big-game player.”