Manchester City captain Ruben Dias has revealed that the squad met to discuss the club’s guilty verdict over breaches of Premier League financial rules, saying the players sought “peace of mind” before moving on.
According to Sky Sports, Dias, who spoke at a news conference on Tuesday ahead of Manchester City’s Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain, said the players agreed to discuss the verdict as soon as they reunited after the international break, when an independent commission found City guilty of all charges relating to serious breaches of Premier League financial rules.
“When it broke, we felt we should have a conversation as soon as we got back,” Dias said on Tuesday.
“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 lodged an appeal against the verdict.
Dias admitted that the squad could not completely avoid the public scrutiny surrounding the case but insisted the players remained focused on their work.
“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 were being told how to react to the situation, Dias replied: “No. We do what we do, we go on the pitch, play football and we win. The answer is no.”
The City captain also defended the squad’s celebrations after their 3-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, insisting the result 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,” he said.
Dias added that City 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 also dismissed the suggestion that criticism surrounding the club had changed the squad’s outlook, saying rival supporters were unhappy when 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,” Dias 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 fallout from the verdict had been more difficult for supporters than for the players and staff.
“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,” Maresca said.
“It is more complicated. If I am an Arsenal or a United fan, I can tell a City fan, ‘Ay, my friend, you cheat’.
“It has been more tough for them. We were happy after the game, celebrating the three points.”
Maresca also praised Dias’s leadership, saying the defender had been a leader since the manager joined the club in the summer.
“Not just the last fews day, 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.
