Ruben Dias sends blunt warning to Man City title rivals after Treble glory
Ruben Dias has warned Manchester City’s rivals that they’ve got their sights on another Treble.
Dias, 26, reckons the pressure is now OFF Pep Guardiola’s side after they finally broke their Champions League curse at the end of a season which also brought a third successive Premier League title and the FA Cup. The Portuguese centre-back, who is in the frame to become City’s new captain following Ilkay Gundogan’s departure, has set his sights on making more history - just 41 days after the Blues became champions of Europe.
Dias said: “All of us know that even though it was great, you always have to be there to do it again and again. All of us have dedicated time to think about what we achieved. It was important to feel it and embrace it. But now is the time to start thinking about doing it again and we are preparing ourselves for that.
“It’s about how ambitious you are as a person and a player. Obviously you could think your job is done. But even though my career has been great so far, there is so much more to do. I’ve always said that my career will only be measured at the end. Not now. It makes no sense to try to judge it now.
“Yes, it’s beautiful but it’s just a small part. You’ll only be able to look at the numbers when it’s finished. Yes, we won the Treble and it’s amazing, but there is a lot more to come and a lot more to work for.” City lost just one of the 43 games Dias played in last season - and his return after recovering from a hamstring injury sustained at the World Cup sparked an incredible charge that saw the Blues land a clean sweep.
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He has been a champion in all three seasons at the Etihad - but the £61.6 million capture from Benfica believes victory over Inter Milan in Istanbul last month could prove to be the moment when City start to bring their domestic dominance to Europe. As Guardiola prepares his team for the next challenge on their three-game tour of the Far East, Dias added: “After winning a Treble, there is no greater pressure than what we already had.
“One big thing at this club was to finally win the Champions League. That will mean less pressure. It’ll be something good for the team, pursuing the dream again. We usually joke by saying ’It’s just another day at the office.’ There will be times when we suffer, of course, there will be tense moments, but we’ve been there and done it.
Dias is an option to become City's new captain following Ilkay Gundogan's move to Barcelona (Nico Vereecken / Photo News via Getty Images)Mirror Football is now on Threads!
“That works as an extra plus, not a minus. Obviously, I was happy with my numbers last season - but this is a new season and we go again without thinking too much about what happened last time. The Treble, the titles, whatever, you have to forget what you have just done to do it all again.”
Dias is such a natural leader that he was made Benfica skipper at the age of 22. Before the FA Cup Final against Manchester United, he nudged aside Gundogan in the pre-match huddle to deliver some final words to remind his team-mates what was on the line. “I’ve never given being captain much thought,” said Dias.
“I’ve only ever been focused on being who I am and being the best version of myself to help my team. The best way is to be who you are. We always vote as a team for the captain and it will happen when we come back to Manchester. I am no different whether I am captain or not. It’s about being natural. Natural beauty, natural captain, natural dribbler, natural whatever. That’s the best way to be.”
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