"People can say whatever they want to say" - Manchester City star defends the club's success after winning four titles in a row
Manchester City defender Ruben Dias has insisted hard work has been key for the Cityzens in becoming Premier League champions for the fourth year in a row. Pep Guardiola's men became the first club in English football history to achieve the feat.
Dias spoke to Sky Sports about City's success and touched on several aspects of their dominance of English football. The Portuguese was adamant his side didn't get carried away by prior expectations that they'd beat Arsenal and Liverpool to the title:
"I think outside that's very easy to assume (City will prevail) if you look back in the years now but I think that's our biggest enemy if we start to relate to people thinking the same way as that then we're already losing and that's the moment we'll start to lose."
Manchester City can add the FA Cup to their glowing trophy cabinet under Guardiola. They face Manchester United at Wembley on Saturday (May 25) and are huge favorites.
That will be the 18th major trophy of Guardiola's reign and Dias pointed out how their success is a result of hard work and the right mentality:
"It's not luck, it's not chance, it's a lot of hard work and people can say whatever they want to say but this is a lot of hard work and it's a lot of quality. Quality in all senses, individually, collectively, quality of knowing how to think, when to think, to be positive, all of it put together. Being able to listen to the noise and ignore it. That's why we like to make sure the trophies speak for us."
Dias will hope to play in Manchester City's FA Cup final against rivals United. He's been crucial for the Cityzens since arriving from Benfica in September 2020 for £65 million. The 27-year-old has made 178 appearances, winning nine major trophies including the contintental treble last season.
Ruben Dias is loving life at Manchester City amid four glorious years with the Premier League champions
Dias has spent four years at the Etihad and has become a hero among fans with consistently top-quality performances. He was named the Premier League Player of the Year in his first season with Manchester City.
The 54-cap Portugal international says he feels right at home in north East England. He told the official Man City podcast in January:
"Right now, I’m very comfortable with myself. I enjoy the Club, I enjoy the city, I enjoy my home. I feel at home."
Dias left Lisbon a place he called home throughout his youth career with Benfica. He alluded to the change in scenary:
"It was easy to come in the sense of the football reason but in the sense of abdicating my whole life in Lisbon which is, for me, my one and only paradise it’s not easy."
Dias will be focused on this summer's European Championships with Portugal once Manchester City's season concludes this Saturday. He's been named in Roberto Martinez's squad for the tournament in Germany.