They have been urged by their manager Pep Guardiola to enjoy their continuing warm-weather training camp in Abu Dhabi but make no mistake, Manchester City players have one thing on their mind: following up on their historic 2022/23 with another treble-winning effort this season.
After scooping six prizes at the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards on Friday, City have relocated to the UAE capital, where they have been making full use of the spectacular weather and elite accommodations to prepare for the second half of their campaign.
Under sunny skies and with the Arabian Gulf providing a scenic backdrop, City players, including serial goalscorer Erling Haaland, were spotted across the grounds of Emirates Palace on Monday, where they took part in various commercial activities following a closed training session.
This time last year, City were trailing Arsenal by eight points in the Premier League before they rebounded to secure the title and complet a treble – becoming just the second English team to achieve that feat – with triumphs in the Champions League and the FA Cup.
This campaign, City are also playing catch up as they look to cut a five-point deficit to current Premier League leaders Liverpool, albeit with a game in hand.
Since they returned from Saudi Arabia with the Club World Cup trophy last month, City have won all four games they have contested in the domestic league and the FA Cup, and midfielder Phil Foden is well aware of the pressure he and his teammates are under to spark another comeback and usurp Liverpool.
“It shows how far the club has come, now we’re favourites to try to do it again and it just shows the pressure on us. But being the team we are, we always want to try to achieve the best things and why not try and do it again?” Foden told The National.
Rico Lewis had predicted at the start of last season that City would win the treble and the 19-year-old defensive midfielder believes his side are ready for a repeat.
“Obviously, every season is different but I feel the same again,” said Lewis.
“With the players we’ve got, there’s no reason why we don’t aim to try to win everything all over again. It’s not good enough at Manchester City just to win something once and I think we can do it again.”
Summer signing Josko Gvardiol has enjoyed a smooth transition into the City defence since moving from RB Leipzig on a five-year deal last August.
The talented Croatian says he is no stranger to pressure, having been promoted to the first team with Dinamo Zagreb when he was just 18 years old, and feels he shares the same ethos with Guardiola, who adopts a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to complacency, and is constantly demanding more of his squad.
“The real thing is that I’m kind of that guy as well, it’s true. I know how he works, you’re just not happy with whatever you’ve done and you want more,” said Gvardiol.
With expectations on City perhaps at an all-time high, do the players feel they are up for another successful chase in the league?
“I will not tell you the secret,” Gvardiol says with a chuckle. “I said many times the season is long. We are back, of course some injured players, but they are coming back as well, hopefully.
“All I can say is that the league until the end is going to be very interesting and of course we are aiming to win everything.”
One player who has managed to solidify his position in Guardiola's starting XI is Foden, who has started all but six games across competitions this campaign, finding the net on 11 occasions.
“Just working hard on the training field, I think when the manager sees you’re working hard and performing in training you get your reward,” said the 23-year-old England international, who made his City first-team debut at the tender age of 17.
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Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan lifts the trophy as he celebrates with teammates after winning the Champions League. Reuters -
Manchester City's Norwegian striker #9 Erling Haaland poses with the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final. AFP -
Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola poses for a picture with the European Cup trophy after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan celebrates with the fans after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
A supporter of Inter Milan reacts after InterMilan's defeat against Manchester City at the Piazza Castello (Castello's square) fanzone in Milan after the UEFA Champions League final. AFP -
Manchester City's Norwegian striker #9 Erling Haaland, wrapped in the Norwegian flag, celebrates with the fans after winning the UEFA Champions League. AFP -
Manchester City's English midfielder #10 Jack Grealish celebrates with his girlfriend and relatives after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City. AFP -
Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan poses with the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's players pose with the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's Norwegian striker #9 Erling Haaland wavers t the fans as he celebrates winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City. AFP -
Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan kisses the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan holds aloft the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's Spanish midfielder #16 Rodri bites the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola celebrates with the winners' medal after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan (C) lifts the European Cup trophy as they celebrate on the podium after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's Brazilian goalkeeper #31 Ederson kisses the European Cup trophy after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City. AFP -
UEFA President President Aleksander Ceferin (R) presents the European Cup trophy to Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan after their win in the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan holds aloft the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola (L) celebrates with Manchester City's Emirati chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak after the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's Portuguese defender #3 Ruben Dias (C) lifts the European Cup trophy as they celebrate on the podium after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
TOPSHOT - Manchester City's English midfielder #4 Kalvin Phillips celebrates at the final whistle after they won the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, on June 10, 2023. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) -
Inter Milan's Argentinian forward #10 Lautaro Martinez reacts to their defeat in the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
TOPSHOT - Manchester City's English midfielder #47 Phil Foden (L) and Manchester City's English defender #2 Kyle Walker celebrates winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, on June 10, 2023. Manchester City won the match 1-0. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) -
Manchester City players celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's English defender #2 Kyle Walker celebrates winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Ferran Soriano, Manager of Manchester City, Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, and Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Chairman of Manchester City, celebrates with the UEFA Champions League trophy. Getty Images -
Manchester City's English defender #5 John Stones celebrates winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Erling Haaland of Manchester City celebrates with the UEFA Champions League trophy after the team's victory during the UEFA Champions League 2022/23 final match between FC Internazionale and Manchester City FC at Atatuerk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey. Getty Images -
Sergio Gomez of Manchester City celebrates with the UEFA Champions League trophy after the team's victory in the UEFA Champions League 2022/23 final match between FC Internazionale and Manchester City FC at Atatuerk Olympic Stadium. Getty Images -
Manchester City player Kevin de Bruyne, his wife Michele de Bruyne and two of their children pose with the trophy after the team won the UEFA Champions League Final soccer match between Manchester City and Inter Milan. EPA -
Ilkay Guendogan of Manchester City lifts the UEFA Champions League trophy after the team's victory during the UEFA Champions League 2022/23 final match between FC Internazionale and Manchester City FC at Atatuerk Olympic Stadium. Getty Images -
Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola kisses the trophy after winning the Champions League final soccer match between Manchester City and Inter Milan. AP -
Aymeric Laporte of Manchester City celebrates with the UEFA Champions League trophy. Getty Images -
Manchester City's English defender #2 Kyle Walker slides as he celebrates winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP -
Manchester City's Emirati chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak poses with the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final. AFP -
Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne is greeted by fans as he leaves the pitch after the Champions League final soccer match where Manchester City beat Inter Milan 1-0 at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey. AP -
Manchester City players and staff celebrate with the Champions League trophy after their win over Inter Milan in the final on Saturday. Getty -
Rodri of Manchester City celebrates after scoring what turned out to be the match-winning goal in the Champions League final against Inter Milan at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul on Saturday, June 10, 2023. Getty -
Inter Milan players look dejected after defeat in the Champions League final. Getty -
Manchester City's Rodri scores the opening goal past Inter Milan's Andre Onana in Istanbul. Reuters -
Rodri after scoring the opening goal for Manchester City. Getty -
Manchester City's Erling Haaland speaks to manager Pep Guardiola in Istanbul. Getty -
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland watches as Inter Milan's Francesco Acerbi heads the ball clear. AFP -
Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne receives treatment during the match. AFP -
Kevin De Bruyne leaves the pitch after being substituted due to injury. AFP -
Kevin De Bruyne is consoled by Erling Haaland. Getty -
Jack Grealish of Manchester City and Denzel Dumfries of Inter fight for the ball. EPA -
Inter Milan's Federico Dimarco vies for the ball with Manchester City's Rodri. AP
“He’s trusting me now in the midfield and I’m really delighted with it and hopefully I can continue to play there.”
Fellow academy graduate Lewis is hoping he too can lock down a regular spot in Guardiola’s plans but is happy to play any position the Spanish manager feels he is needed.
“Here at City, it’s probably better to be more versatile because of the formations we play and the different positions I can play in and for me at the moment I can get more minutes on the pitch playing in different positions,” said Lewis.
“But at some point I hope to settle into a position and I do like playing midfield the most.”
City return to action on Friday with a fourth-round FA Cup clash at Tottenham Hotspur before hosting Burnley in the Premier League five days later.
