Manchester City has struggled for a large part of this season, but defender Ruben Dias warned Crystal Palace.
Ruben Dias says that Manchester City is again 'very dangerous' with the return of important players for the FA Cup final of tomorrow. Star Striker Erling Haaland, together with defender Manuel Akanji, has returned from injury to time to Crystal Palace near Wembley.
Although City has passed a bad season according to their high standards, and not to challenge the Premier League, Dias said that they are ready to remind the football world of their lasting sparkle.
“It's a beautiful sight that everyone has available,” said Dias. “And when everyone is available, the conversation changes a lot and we become very dangerous.
“It is a huge, even more after the season that we have had, to be in this final phase and to have the chance to lift the trophy. We know how good it feels to win the FA Cup and we know what it means for everyone, so it's a big one for us.
“It is our third FA Cup final in a row, so that is already quite a big achievement. It is a competition that means a lot to us.
“We are defined by the Premier League victories, but I feel that we have been defined by it, for the way we played – and everything counts in the end. The FA Cup is a big for us, so we really want to win it.”
After he had ruled English football over the past decade, including a record four consecutive title triumphs, the drop-off of the city was just as surprising as unexpected.
They won only once during a miserable 13-game run between October 30 and Boxing Day, and did not succeed in making the last 16 of the Champions League, a first for decorated boss Pep Guardiola.
But City has recovered since he has lost their way halfway through the season, with Dias who suggests that the mental and physical toll took it to win four titles in a row, the players may have caught up with this season.
“It was absolutely the result of many things,” said Dias. “One of them was the fact that we won four prominent competitions in a row and nobody ever did that.
“Perhaps these are the costs – the effort and mental discipline that is essential for the game we play. They were clearly difficult times for many reasons, but you should not doubt each other because of a bad wave.
“That shows a weak house and we are a strong house. If someone is in doubt, they might have to learn a lesson for the future.
“If you are doing great or if you are not doing great, the only time to look back is when the season is ready and the season is not yet ready. There is still a lot to fight for and achieve a lot, so it is one game at the same time and pushing as much as we can.
“This team consists of many individual qualities, but it is even more made of this mentality and feel among each other that we are there and we are going to do it and be strong together.”
Dias admitted that lifting the FA Cup would be the perfect broadcast for club legend Kevin De Bruyne, for his emotional farewell in his last game at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.
“Kevin deserves everything – from American players, from the fans, from the club,” said Dias. “So much that we can as a team, we want him to feel best that he may feel.”