Ruben Dias has issued a rallying call to Manchester City teammates and supporters with ‘so much to play for’ during the remaining weeks and months of the campaign.
That message came off the back of an exit from the UEFA Champions League, bringing an end to a bitterly disappointing campaign in Europe’s premier club competition at the hands of Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Defeat to the La Liga leaders capped off a string of heavy outcomes in the competition’s league phase resulting in a play-off tie with Carlo Ancelotti’s side, including a 4-1 loss to Sporting CP and a 4-2 defeat away to Paris Saint-Germain.
Feyenoord was arguably the most notable of Manchester City’s oppositions during that league phase run as the Dutch side came from 3-0 behind at the Etihad Stadium with 15 minutes remaining to draw 3-3 and stun the home crowd.
Now, speaking in the aftermath of City’s UEFA Champions League exit at the hands of Real Madrid in midweek, the club’s vice-captain Ruben Dias was quizzed on what the future holds in the ongoing season, amid ‘so much to play for’ in the campaign despite setbacks.
“Most definitely! We have qualification for the Champions League to fight for in the Premier League and we need to be very clean and honest about it ourselves; it’s our main target,” the Portugal international said.
He continued, “Then we have the FA Cup and we all know how special it is for all of us, everyone in England. We like trophies, we like to win, so that’s where we want to be.”
City will likely remain hopeful of their chances of securing a UEFA Champions League place for next season, with the Premier League likely to be subject to the top-five positions qualifying teams for the competition.
Pep Guardiola and his players also have a favourable run-in in comparison to some of their challengers for the European places, and their recruits during the January transfer window should give them the necessary energy to get across the line.
Abdukodir Khusanov has looked like an immense piece of business in his opening outings for the club, while Nico Gonzalez has impressed during his opening stages in taking on Rodri’s role, and Omar Marmoush having scored a hat-trick against Newcastle United.
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