Ruben Dias reveals main reason why Manchester City MUST win the FA Cup and finish in the Premier League’s top-four | OneFootball

Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne and his pending exit from the club this summer should act as the ultimate motivation for his teammates to secure success.

The reigning Premier League champions – despite the downfalls of the season across all competitions – still find themselves with plenty to play for as the campaign reaches its crescendo in the coming weeks.

While UEFA Champions League qualification is likely to be Pep Guardiola’s priority via a top-four finish in the English top-flight table, silverware could be added to the cabinet with an FA Cup semi-final on the horizon against Nottingham Forest at the end of April.

However, in a season of various twists and turns, good news and bad news, the latest story to rock the City camp concerned Kevin De Bruyne, who announced last week that he would be leaving the Etihad Stadium after 10 years at the club in the upcoming summer.

Speaking after Manchester City’s most recent 0-0 draw against Manchester United, vice-captain Ruben Dias spoke to the club’s in-house media team around De Bruyne’s announcement from last week.

“It’s not the best news to receive, as you can imagine. More than the player he is, he’s a friend and a very special person to all of us, obviously the club, the fans,” Dias told club cameras.

The club’s back-up captain to De Bruyne in the first-team leadership group continued, “Right now it’s time to savour every single second that we can have him. What he’s done is just special – there’s so many adjectives to classify it.

“Enjoy every moment, try and make this time – because we’re still in two, three – with the FIFA Club World Cup competitions – as best as we can because he deserves it.

“Personally, as one of the members of this team, I want it for him more than for anything else, and he deserves it, so savour every moment.”

Manchester City will return to work later this week as they refocus their attentions and aim to get back to winning ways immediately in the Premier League with Crystal Palace visiting the Etihad Stadium in an early Saturday lunchtime kick-off.

Pep Guardiola and his players currently find themselves in fifth position within the league rankings, but are ahead of Newcastle United by just two points with Eddie Howe’s side holding a game in hand after they play Leicester City on Monday night.

It also remains to be seen what the future holds for Kevin De Bruyne beyond his stay at Manchester City this summer, with recent reports pointing towards growing interest from the MLS and David Beckham’s Inter Miami.