Kristina Roberts
Manchester City’s season took an unexpected turn, and it all seemed to start with a cup match in London. What began as a campaign with big dreams slowly turned into a struggle, but now, another cup match in London could mark their return to form. The team had higher ambitions than just competing with Crystal Palace for a trophy, but as things started falling apart, even securing a Champions League spot and winning some silverware would feel like a victory.
Many believe the real trouble began when Rodri, their key midfielder, suffered a serious knee injury against Arsenal in September. But even after that, City remained unbeaten for a while. Their losing streak didn’t start until their Carabao Cup match against Tottenham at the end of October. Up until then, they had won five games in a row and hadn’t lost any of their 14 matches. Then, another injury struck—this time to Ruben Dias. He had to leave the game at halftime due to a calf problem and missed the next four matches. Without him, City lost all four games.
“Of course, it wasn’t easy,” Dias said. “You want to be on the field, helping your team in any way you can. Sitting out and watching them struggle was not a happy experience.”
City’s loss to Tottenham was just the beginning of a tough period. Injuries to their defenders became a recurring problem, but Dias’ absence seemed to hurt them the most. The team that once looked unbeatable suddenly seemed weak. Dias believes part of the reason for their struggles was the toll of their past success.
“It was definitely the result of many things,” he said. “One of them was the fact that we won four Premier League titles in a row—something no other team has ever done. Maybe this was the price we had to pay for that success. The mental and physical effort required to play at such a high level for so long is enormous. You have to learn from the past, but you can’t let it drag you down.”
Despite the criticism from fans and analysts during their rough patch, Dias felt many people overreacted. He believed his teammates were unfairly judged and that their past achievements were forgotten too quickly.
“There was a lot of talking, but not much sense in most of the comments,” he said. “People love to exaggerate, and they easily forget everything we’ve accomplished. Yes, those were difficult times for many reasons, but doubting each other after a few bad games shows weakness. We are a strong team. If anyone doubted us, maybe they’ll think twice next time.”
Since March, City have looked much more like their old selves. They’ve won seven of their last eight matches, with only a draw against Southampton slowing them down. Part of their improvement has been due to new players stepping up, like Josko Gvardiol, who has formed a solid partnership with Dias in defense.
“Everyone knows Josko’s qualities,” Dias said. “He’s young, full of energy, and very ambitious. He wants to win, and that’s exactly the kind of player we need.”
The team’s mentality has also changed. “Maybe it’s the feeling,” Dias explained. “This team has a lot of talent, but what really makes us special is our mentality—the belief that we’re in this together and we’ll fight until the end. When that feeling is strong, everything becomes easier.”
His words also hinted that, for a while, that belief had faded. For a team used to winning trophies and dominating matches, losing so many games in a row was a strange and frustrating experience. Now, their goals have shifted.
“You either win the Premier League or you don’t,” Dias said. “We’ve won four in a row, which no one else has done before. Now we’re fighting hard to finish in the top five. People define us by our league titles, but I think we’re defined by everything we’ve achieved.”
One of those achievements was the historic treble in 2023, which wouldn’t have been possible without winning the FA Cup. After their Champions League exit to Real Madrid last season, many still expected them to win a domestic double, but Manchester United shocked them in the final. Now, City are back in another FA Cup final, hoping to make things right.
“This is our third final in a row, which is already a big achievement,” Dias said.
In fact, City have reached the FA Cup semifinals seven times in a row—a record. However, they’ve also lost four finals at Wembley during that time.
“We know how good it feels to win the FA Cup,” Dias said. With the team looking stronger than before, he hopes Wembley will once again be a happy place for Manchester City.
The season has been full of ups and downs, but through it all, Ruben Dias remains confident in his team’s strength. No matter what challenges come their way, Manchester City’s “strong house” will keep standing.
