Manchester City defender Ruben Dias says pundits and rivals are unwise to write off the reigning champions.
Pep Guardiola’s side have lost four games in a row in all competitions but Dias says they have suffered similar setbacks in the past and gone on to win trophies on all fronts:
“I would say, please doubt us, doubt us, feel welcome to do so. When we did the treble [in 2023], we even called it the dark January – we had a tough period but it is what it is.
“What matters is how you bounce back from these moments. That’s why our team has won so much because in moments of difficulty, the characters come up and we stay together.”
“We don’t find people to kill, we find people to bring into the cause and fight together. That’s what we need to do once again. Until it’s done, it’s not done.”
The international break has come at the right time for City
Guardiola has never lost four matches on the bounce as a manager so the results in recent weeks have been unprecedented.
Injuries have certainly played their part in these defeats and fans will be hoping that the two-week gap between fixtures will allow as many players to recover their fitness as possible.
Dias is expected to return to action soon
The Portuguese defender is one of those who is currently on the treatment table. He picked up a muscular injury during the 2-1 defeat to Tottenham in the Carabao Cup – the match which began this recent run of poor results.
Ironically, Dias is expected to make his comeback against the same opponent after the international break. The Cityzens take on Spurs at the Etihad in the Premier League on Saturday week.
Find out who is in Manchester City’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here
