While Manchester City fans were dining out on lamb shish, kebabs and a desert of baklava round the streets of Istanbul, the Treble-chasing players were following a strict menu plan - which Mail Sport has been given exclusive access to.
It might be the biggest night of the players' careers, as well as Pep Guardiola, but it is also a nerve-wrecking occasion for City's head chef Morgan Steele and performance nutritionist Tom Parry, who have developed a 24-hour meal plan to replenish muscles and keep brain energy high.
Working alongside Gatorade Sports Science Institute, City have dined from the live-cooking station on Friday ahead of the game to stock up on high-fibre vegetables and carbohydrate-rich meals.
Kevin De Bruyne opted for a spaghetti dish with light homemade pesto and a small amount of diced tomato, peppers and chicken breast.
'As the climate in Turkey is warmer than England, we have taken steps like increased urine testing pre-training to make sure the players are aware of hydration levels,' says chef Steele.
The match day breakfast options available include eggs made to order with a selection of freshly-baked breads, porridge, overnight oats, granola and banana bread. Players will often have an additional bowl of fruit and yoghurt.
Buffet-style meals will be prepared at 2pm and 6.30pm, with an assortment of reduced-fat pasta and rice dishes such as spaghetti pomodoro and farfalle with homemade low-fat pesto.
There was also an array of lean protein options such as skinless chicken fillets, fresh white fish and sides of roast potatoes and sweetcorn fritters.
Gatorade's chief scientist Ian Rollo explains: 'All fixtures are big games in our eyes, so the advice is to not deviate from the philosophies that have been successful all season.'
Before the match City players will be offered smaller volume options such as banana bread, low-fat cheese toasties, bruschetta and rice pudding.
