Manchester City's Ruben Dias on form, struggles, Juventus and Manchester derby
10/12/2024
uefa24
10/12/2024
uefa24
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00:00Hello guys, same again please, we'll take questions from English Wikimedia first and then from Italian, somewhere to start?
00:17Martin? Just here at the front please, thank you.
00:22Hi Ruben, it's a big week you've got coming up with Juventus and then Manchester United, but you've got to focus on tomorrow night first, right?
00:32Yeah, very well said. One at a time, the next one is the big deal, and obviously a tough one, and very important for us.
00:42Since you've conceded 22 goals in the last nine matches, that's very unlike you, isn't it?
00:47Yeah, most definitely, but I guess that's football, that's life. Sometimes you have different obstacles, obstacles you don't really expect,
00:55and you have only one way to move forward, which is to believe in yourself, be persistent and see the light.
01:04Hi Ruben, can you put into words when there is such disruption in the defence, and players are out, players are in, it's constantly changing,
01:17even for players at the level of Manchester City, how disruptive that is?
01:23Yeah, obviously it doesn't make the job any easier, and it is disruptive, people coming in now, injuries,
01:29but I focus mainly on the way to move forward, and that's the one thing that concerns my mind.
01:36When I go home, whatever happens, it's the only thing that stays in my mind for a while,
01:41which is how are we going to move forward, and our ways to stick together, whatever people throw at us,
01:48and whatever difficulties might come, because football is about that as much as life is.
01:53Of course it's not an easy period, and we used to be in very different situations, but this is football,
02:04and maybe a bit different, a bit less, a bit more, in the past it has already happened to us.
02:09I remember now the treble season, even last season we had a tough period at some point,
02:14and this is the time in which you show character, in which you show who you are.
02:19I've always believed that in the most difficult moments in life, you show your true colours, and this is one of them.
02:25Can you talk to us a little bit about the character that the manager is showing at the moment?
02:30He's just been talking to us about keeping it simple, and doing the basics. How has he been, his character?
02:38He's right alongside us, and I think, I didn't hear the press conference, but if he said those words,
02:48I truly believe in them, that it's the time for that, and it's the time to stick together as a team.
02:53Keep believing in our process, because our process has done some magic over the years,
02:58and it's the time to stay strong, back to basics.
03:07In one of the documentaries, I think it was the treble season, there was a video clip of you talking to the dressing room,
03:13trying to G them up before an important match. Obviously you're a leader in this squad, part of the leadership group.
03:19Have you taken it upon yourself in this difficult period to talk to the players, to try and get that confidence level back up again?
03:26I guess we all do in a way. Obviously some are more genuine about it in terms of their way of being,
03:35but it's mostly in times like these, or even in any circumstance.
03:39There's always a time in which words mean something, and they should be said.
03:45I think we do a good job between our leaders, assessing the moments in which those words need to come out.
03:54Obviously those moments are important as well, because at the end of the day, we're a team,
04:01we're a group of players, but we're a family, and in a family we need to stick together.
04:06We need to run for a reason, and it's about keeping that reason very much alive.
04:11Hi Ruben, you've just spoken about the mentality and stuff, that you need to find a way to fix it.
04:18Have you identified as a squad what you can do to fix things?
04:23Well, our way has always been the same. If we're on a good level, no-one can stop us.
04:29Obviously we have people out, people coming in, and injuries happening.
04:35But we know that if we have everyone available, and even with not everyone available,
04:41if we find our rhythm, we can be very, very dangerous.
04:45So in this circumstance, in this moment of time, of course, and with the team we have,
04:51I believe that more than anything else, it's just about keeping on believing in ourselves.
04:56Keep the strength, keep the focus on what's ahead, don't get dragged by whatever happened,
05:02and yeah, we'll find it.
05:08Hi Ruben, after what you've achieved over the last six, seven years,
05:12obviously all great teams come to an end.
05:15As somebody who's part of the dressing room, how does it feel to hear people on the outside say,
05:20well maybe this is the end for what has been a great Manchester City team?
05:24Well, isn't that the beauty of all of it, I guess?
05:27The fact that people are wondering about it.
05:30And once again we have another occasion to show up and do what we do.
05:36Football is just that. It doesn't really matter how much you've accomplished in the past,
05:43or how much you're going to accomplish, you're always going to be demanded more,
05:46and you're always going to demand more of yourself, and you're always going to want more as well.
05:50And as long as your legs allow you, that's what you want to strive for.
05:55Keep on pushing yourself as a team, as a club, as an individual.
05:59And the fact that people doubt is the one thing as well that brings you strength,
06:05is the one thing that inspires you to be greater and greater.
06:08Now we're talking about obviously winning, and winning tomorrow is the main focus,
06:13but in a way we talk about our legacy. This is our legacy.
06:17More than obviously the treble, the four in a row, all of it is spectacular,
06:23but I do believe that the one thing that defines a legacy is how you've reacted
06:28on the most difficult moment of your career.
06:30I'm a true believer of those moments being the ones that define you.
06:33So we embrace the difficult moments, because those are the ones that maybe
06:38I personally will for sure remember one day later.
06:43We'll take some questions from Italian media, please. Ruben will reply in English.
06:49Any questions, guys? Raise hands.
06:51Yeah, please, in the back. Thank you.
06:56What is it? Italian?
06:57Yeah.
06:59Good evening. Nicola Balice, La Stampa.
07:02A question about your direct opponent, Dusan Vlaovic,
07:06how do you imagine this challenge and also in comparison with Haaland?
07:12What are the differences between the two players? Thank you.
07:18Well, first of all, I'm not going to be comparing players here.
07:22I think it's not the players or I'm not even the person that should be doing so.
07:28But yeah, it's not about him alone.
07:32Obviously, it's about what they can do as a team and they can be a very dangerous team.
07:36We're very aware and we know the challenge we're up against.
07:39Like I've said before, it's a time obviously to recognise what's in front of us,
07:44but more than anything else, focus on ourselves,
07:46because we know that if any close to our best level, we can win.
07:52The gentleman there, please. Perfect. Thank you.
07:55Good evening.
07:57Filippo Cornacca, La Gazzetta dello Sport.
07:59You play with Francisco Conselisau.
08:02In Italy, he was a bit surprised because not everyone expected him to have such an impact.
08:08I wanted to understand what he said to his defence colleagues
08:11about the management of Conselisau, who is already in the Champions League and the league.
08:15He's often been Juventus' number one threat with his dribbling.
08:18Did he give any warning to his team-mates?
08:25Ah, so you're asking me if I gave any warning to my team because of him?
08:33Well, first of all, it was a surprise to you guys. It was not a surprise to me.
08:37I know how good he is and he's really good.
08:41Obviously, I think there's a good understanding in our dressing room
08:44of how good individually Juventus players are and how dangerous they can be.
08:50Obviously, he's a very strong individuality like many others Juve have.
08:56We know what we're up against.
09:02Any more questions?
09:04Thank you very much.