INSIDE MAN CITY’S DRESSING ROOM TITLE PARTY: Jack Grealish and Julian Alvarez lead delirious players singing ‘We Are the Champions’ as Rodri celebrates with beer and Bernardo Silva feasts on pizza
Champion side Manchester City celebrated their pitchside celebrations in the dressing room after lifting the Premier League trophy for the third consecutive year on Sunday.
Pep Guardiola won the title for his side with three games less and enough preparation time for his side to reset ahead of their FA Cup and Champions League post-season campaigns.
But before the team refocused on their pursuit of a historic treble, the players had time to get carried away with their achievement and kick off what could be a summer of celebrations.
Long after the final whistle, the squad gathered in the Etihad locker room, where Jack Grealish and Julian Alvarez led their delirious teammates in a rendition of ‘We Are the Champions’ – the original by Queen in booming from the speakers.
In footage from Sky Sports, the players were seen swapping their shirts for special editions of their debut kits emblazoned not with their name but ‘Champions – 23’ to commemorate the achievements of the season.
Manchester City won a historic third consecutive Premier League trophy on Sunday
The players frolicked on the pitch after hoisting the trophy in the air, before celebrating in their dressing room in the bowels of the Etihad
Jack Grealish and Julian Alvarez (centre left and left) led a chorus of ‘We Are the Champions’
They were joined in their festivities by kitman Brandon Ashton, who memorably celebrated City winning their domestic treble in 2019 by stripping down to his underwear and throwing himself into a laundry basket.
Rodri opened a beer which he lifted as he was pulled into the merry gang in the center of the locker room.
Although he is now 18, academy starlet Rico Lewis drank a sports drink as he watched the party unfold around him.
Bernardo Silva and Ruben Dias munched on pizza, but that didn’t stop the Portugal international from being dragged into the restless crowd by Erling Haaland and Phil Foden.
Rodri enjoyed a celebratory beer after the final whistle as the players began to relax
In contrast, Phil Foden waved a bottle of post-performance drink above his head in triumph
The players were clearly delighted with their achievements, hugging and swaying to the beat of the music, but their celebrations received strong artistic criticism from expert Micah Richards.
The former Man City player said the chant was “awful” as the cameras left the players in their rejoicings.
“Like strangled cats!” Richards teased.
After the final whistle of their 1-0 win over Chelsea, Kyle Walker had hinted at the celebrations to come.
Kyle Walker said while there will be celebrations, the focus will be on June
Erling Haaland enjoyed a sip of Man City-branded bubbly on the pitch wearing his medal
The Etihad turf was strewn with bottles after the final whistle – although most may have been abandoned by overly exuberant fans
“We will have a few glasses of champagne,” admitted the defender. “But then we move on to June,” adding that he was adamant that the team’s definition of success involved winning their first Champions League trophy and winning English football’s second treble.
“We have two massive finals,” he continued. “To say we’re up there with the greatest Premier League teams of all time, we have to go and conquer some of them.” We’ve been called the Fourmidables and the Centurions, but to go after that, we can really make our mark by being one of the greatest teams of all time in the Premier League.
Walker and his team-mates were unable to celebrate on the pitch immediately after referee Michael Oliver ended their draw with their west London opponents after fans rushed from the stands and flooded the ground.
Players from both sides were quickly escorted out and into the tunnel by security in the moments after the final whistle as fans flooded the ground.
