Former Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott has made a stunning admission about how one of the club's most embarrassing European nights ultimately paved the way for their Champions League triumph years later.
The ex-England international, who played for City between 2009 and 2014, revealed that the humbling 1-0 defeat to AEK Athens in 2011 served as a crucial turning point in the club's European journey.
The Night That Changed Everything
"That AEK Athens game was the making of us in Europe," Lescott confessed in a recent interview. "We went there expecting to win comfortably, but we got taught a real lesson about what Champions League football requires."
The match in Greece saw City field a strong lineup including stars like Sergio Agüero and David Silva, yet they fell to a solitary goal from AEK's Argentine midfielder Leonardo. The defeat highlighted the steep learning curve facing the newly-rich Premier League side.
From Humiliation to Inspiration
Lescott explained how the experience forged a new mentality within the squad: "That night made us realise that talent alone wasn't enough in Europe. We needed a different approach, more maturity, and to understand the tactical nuances of continental football."
The defender, who now works as a pundit, emphasised that this early setback provided the foundation for the club's eventual success under Pep Guardiola: "Those difficult experiences in our first Champions League campaigns built the resilience that eventually led to winning it in 2023. You have to learn how to lose before you can learn how to win in Europe."
The Road to Redemption
City's journey from that night in Athens to lifting the Champions League trophy in Istanbul took over a decade of development and investment. Lescott's insights shed new light on how early struggles shaped the club's European philosophy.
"We could have easily brushed that defeat aside as just a bad night," Lescott reflected. "Instead, the manager and players used it as a reference point for what needed to change. It became part of our education."
The revelation provides fascinating context to Manchester City's evolution from Champions League newcomers to European royalty, showing that sometimes the most valuable lessons come from the most painful experiences.
