Ruben Dias fires Aston Villa warning to Manchester City squad ahead of Champions League qualification clash | OneFootball

Ruben Dias has sent a timely reminder to the Manchester City squad as his side take on Aston Villa on Tuesday evening in what will be a crucial fixture in the race to finish for a top five Premier League finish.

City have five games remaining in their bid to secure UEFA Champions League football for the new season and after three wins in their last four league games, Guardiola’s men have destiny in their own hands if they are to turn a corner and finish a poor season on a high.

The Blues exited the Champions League at the Round of 16 stage courtesy of a 6-2 aggregate defeat to Real Madrid over two legs in February. City have also failed to mount a challenge for the Premier League this term and are likely to see their crown shift to Liverpool this week.

“We take this year as it is. It was not our best year in many levels, but we take the lessons, and we look forward to the future. It has generally been a more difficult season overall,” said Ruben Dias ahead of Aston Villa’s visit to the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.

Dias has been a key hallmark of Manchester City’s unparalleled domestic success under Guardiola, with the Portuguese having won the Premier League in each of his first four seasons in England since joining from Benfica in 2020.

“I have won the Premier League in my first four years, but I still take (this season) into a good place because we were the first club ever to win the Premier League four times in a row. Just that alone says it is not easy to do it anyway, even more doing it four times in a row,” he added.

The 27-year-old has led the backline in an injury-marred season for the Premier League champions, who have witnessed each of John Stones, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji spend considerable time on the treatment table this term.

Dias has endured injury troubles of his own this season but when available, the Portugal international has been as reliable as anyone for Guardiola alongside Josko Gvardiol, who ha struck a competent on-pitch relationship with Dias in recent months at centre-half.

With the season coming to a close, Dias has stressed on the importance of securing Champions League football for the new season and making the most of the remaining games that hang in the balance for Manchester City.

“It is going to be tight and at the end of the day it is down to whoever wants it the most. We know it is not going to be easy, but we are fighting for this qualification. We will do everything that we can to get it,” the defender said.

“Obviously we are feeling good (after the Everton game). It was a very difficult game and we knew it was going to be difficult. Few teams have been able to win there and especially in this moment every point matters the world to us right now.”