“Do better” – Ruben Dias simplifies crucial demands of Manchester City teammates after Juventus defeat

Ruben Dias has issued a set of simplified demands to his Manchester City teammates after yet another loss for the club, this time in the UEFA Champions League.

The Premier League champions find themselves in an increasingly precarious position in Europe’s premier club competition, having sustained a second defeat in the tournament after a 4-1 loss to Sporting CP last month.

A 3-3 draw to Feyenoord on matchday five and a 0-0 tie against Inter Milan at home on matchday one means City sit on just eight points after six matches, ranking them in 22nd and forcing them to secure points from their final two matches for just a play-off place.

The 2-0 defeat to Juventus in Turin courtesy of goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie also meant that City have now won just one of their last 10 matches across all competitions, and losing seven of those contests.

Speaking to television broadcasters from the Allianz Stadium in Turin, Ruben Dias admitted that whilst it is certainly not easy to escape the ongoing run, all of the City squad must do better as individuals to carry the club into a better streak of results.

“Well, I guess it really isn’t easy to get out of a run like this. But in times like this, it’s persist, persist, persist, keep going, keep going, be better, we have to do better, we have to be better – it’s the only way you can think, I believe,” the Portugal international said.

“We had our chances, very good ones I’d say,” Dias continued on the defeat against Juventus. “But the kind of team we are is you don’t really leave a game like this to chance. You win it, period.”

He continued, “That’s where our focus is. The game could’ve been very different, but it doesn’t matter. The kind of way we play is we win or we win. So we have to be better.”

“It looks like every ball that comes close goes in,” the 27-year-old went on to say in reference to the status of the club’s defending at present. “But that’s when you have to be strong to get out of the situation, and that’s the personality of each of us.

“Look at ourselves, the team, trust the team, whatever happens, keep the belief, keep looking forward. It’s the only way. Do better, be better as a player, individually, and as a team.”

“You can never expect anything, you always have to work, you cannot take it for granted, and times like this make the victories feel so good. So we need to go deep, we need to be better, we need to work more, we need to do whatever we do more and better, it’s the only way out.”

Manchester City’s next opportunity to return to winning ways comes at home in Premier League action, and the challenge of Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon.