RUBEN DIAS REVEALS MAN CITY PLAYERS’ MEETING OVER FINANCIAL BREACHES VERDICT

Manchester City captain Ruben Dias has revealed that the squad held a meeting to discuss the club’s guilty verdict over alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules, saying the players wanted to achieve “peace of mind” before moving forward.

According to Sky Sports, Dias made the disclosure during a press conference on Tuesday ahead of Manchester City’s Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain. He explained that the players agreed to address the issue immediately after reuniting following the international break.

An independent commission had found City guilty of all charges relating to serious breaches of Premier League financial regulations.

“When it broke, we felt we should have a conversation as soon as we got back,” Dias said.

“We did, for everyone to be on the same page, and be clear about our peace of mind. We moved on from there.

“It happened in a moment when we were not together, but quickly we reached out to each other, found calm and progressed forward.”

Manchester City have maintained their innocence and appealed the verdict.

Dias acknowledged that avoiding public scrutiny surrounding the case was difficult, even for players who preferred to keep their private lives away from the spotlight. However, he insisted that the squad remained focused on football.

“There’s a lot of noise and it’s almost impossible to avoid seeing something, even us being as private as we can be. On your phone, it’s impossible to avoid everything,” he said.

“We’re very good at focusing on our job and being happy every time we come to work. Our minds are there and only there. It’s the things we can control and the things we’ve always been doing and enjoying so much.

“We have full confidence in the club and trust the club.”

Asked whether the players had been instructed on how to respond to the situation, Dias dismissed the suggestion, insisting that their priority remained performing on the pitch.

“No. We do what we do, we go on the pitch, play football and we win. The answer is no,” he said.

The City captain also defended the squad’s celebrations following their 3-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, explaining that the difficulty of securing three points at the stadium was the main reason for their reaction.

“It all mixes together a little bit, but mainly we know it’s not easy to get three points at Anfield. That is definitely the main reason. We’re here for the points and to win competitions, that’s the main thing on our minds,” Dias said.

He added that the team would celebrate an Anfield victory regardless of the circumstances or stage of the season.

“I very much stand by the manager’s words. It’s a win at Anfield. In whatever circumstance, be it early in the season or late in the season, we will enjoy it just as much and celebrate however we feel in the moment. It’s a show of how much it means to us,” he said.

Dias further maintained that criticism surrounding the club had not changed the players’ mindset, arguing that opposition supporters were naturally unhappy whenever City won.

“If there’s more or less noise, for whatever reason, it’s all the same. Same as before because people don’t love us winning and we love to win,” he said.

“It’s a normal scenario where whenever you win, there are people that are not happy with it because they have the same ambition to win.”

Meanwhile, City manager Enzo Maresca said the controversy had been more difficult for the club’s supporters than for the players and coaching staff.

Speaking after the victory over Liverpool, Maresca explained that fans were more exposed to criticism from rival supporters over the financial case.

“After we were very happy, sharing time with our fans. It has been more tough for our fans than for the players or for me,” he said.

He added that supporters of rival clubs could use the allegations to taunt City fans.

“If I am an Arsenal or a United fan, I can tell a City fan, ‘Ay, my friend, you cheat’,” Maresca said.

“It has been more tough for them. We were happy after the game, celebrating the three points.”

The City manager also praised Dias for his leadership, revealing that the defender had played an important role since Maresca joined the club in the summer.

“Not just the last few days, since I joined the club in the summer, I was in touch with Ruben. Since day one he has been a real leader and has done very well in all aspects,” he said.