Ruben Dias Manchester City 2022-23Getty

Ruben Dias slams 'small-minded' Man City critics and vows there's much more to come from Pep Guardiola's treble winners

  • Dias rejects complacency after historic treble
  • Hungry for further success and trophies
  • Ambition drives Dias and Man City

WHAT HAPPENED? Dias has issued a stern warning against complacency within the squad following their historic treble win. As the team gears up for the upcoming season, Dias emphasized that the triumph in Istanbul was just a stepping stone towards greater achievements and that resting on their laurels would be a sign of a small-minded or unambitious approach. He passionately stated that there is much more to be accomplished, and his ambition drives him to leave a lasting mark in football history by consistently performing at the highest level and winning more titles

WHAT THEY SAID: Speaking to reporters, Dias said, "For you to think that is all I need to achieve, you need to be small-minded or not very ambitious. Obviously, you could think that your job is done, 'oh I won the Champions League, now I can hang up my boots'. But with my career, even though it has been great so far, there is so much more to do.

"Yes, last season was beautiful but it's just one part. Yes, we won the Treble and it's amazing, but there is a lot more to come. It's ingrained in us. I have done it once and I can always do it twice, three times or four times. I want to make sure that my numbers will be good enough to be remembered for a while, if not forever."

Article continues below

He added, "One big thing at this club is to finally win the Champions League - that will mean less pressure. It'll be something good for the team, pursuing the dream again. The pressure will come, there will be tense moments, but we've been there and done it. That works as an extra plus, not a minus. All of us have dedicated the time to think about it [the Treble] but maybe not too much. I chose not to.

"It was the most important thing to feel it and embrace it. We know it happened, the Treble, the titles, whatever, but know you have to forget what you have just do it again. I don't think ambition will be a problem, because that is the direction the club set out for. This club hires depending on personality and what kind of man you are. That is one of the reasons why that lack of ambition is never an issue."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: As the reigning European champions prepare for the upcoming season, Pep Guardiola faces the task of addressing squad issues, including finding a replacement for the departed captain, Ilkay Gundogan, who joined Barcelona on a free transfer. Dias is considered a potential candidate to take on a leadership role within the team, with players and staff set to vote on the five-man leadership group after the tour.

IN TWO PHOTOS:

Ruben Dias Manchester City 2022-23Getty Images

Pep Guardiola Manchester City 2022-23Getty

WHAT NEXT? The Cityzens have already arrived in Tokyo for pre-season and are set to face Yokohama F Marinos on July 23 before taking on Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid on July 26 and July 30, respectively.

Advertisement