The second episode of Together: Treble Winners, now available on Netflix, tracks the second quarter of the campaign with trophies still a long way in the distance.
The 2022/23 season was different to any that had gone before it, with a winter World Cup in November and December to consider.
There’s no need to provide extra motivation to the players for the first game covered in this episode – a home Manchester derby.
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Introduced as a rivalry that can only be understood by historians and psychologists by journalist Henry Winter, we see the Etihad in glorious detail on perhaps the first of many unforgettable days in the season in questions.
Erling Haaland makes it three hat-tricks in three home games in his first ever Manchester derby while boyhood City fan Phil Foden scores his first ever senior three-goal haul. In years gone by, this would have been the season’s peak.
While still a huge day for this team, there’s plenty of work to be done.
Before that, we get an insight into how morale remains high in training – wrestling. You’ll have to watch the episode to see who Scott Carson’s favourite victim is.
hen the City stars are usurped by a visitor, with Ronnie Foden attending the CFA on the day his dad signs a new City contract.
It’s a brief moment to breathe during a relentless run of matches, including the trip to perennial challengers Liverpool.
Guardiola knows his team aren’t at their best at Anfield. Here we see how he prepares his side to face Jurgan Klopp’s men – and battles with his own nerves – before a tense encounter falls the way of our hosts.
Luckily, there are plenty of opportunities to move on quickly.
Our players are soon off to Paris for the Ballon d’Or ceremony, where we are named the Club of the Year and your favourite heroes dust off their tuxedos.
Returning to Manchester, there’s life at the CFA. Specifically, a bonsai tree.
John Stones and Erling Haaland in particular take it upon themselves to keep the beautiful plant alive. Sitting in the team’s recovery areas, Stones describes the tree as a ‘mascot’.
As with much of this episode, it’s another example of how players bring an element of the outside world into the secluded, guarded surroundings of our world class training facilities.
Even when not on the pitch, footballers are competitive beings. During their many nights on the road, intense table tennis tournaments will break out in hotels.
The documentary leaves the viewer completely certain as to which player is the ‘king’ when it comes to ping pong: Rodrigo.
There’s also competition over clothes. The walk into the CFA building every day is a potential catwalk for our players, with some choosing to take advantage of that opportunity more than others.
Every player has their own opinion and it’s likely that viewers will too.
All the while this is happening, it’s hard to escape the feeling of pressure that underscores all of the player’s movements.
With City in Dortmund for a Champions League group match, Ilkay Gundogan uses his birthday speech to call for focus on the goals at hand – as many trophies as possible.
That is promptly followed by a 0-0 draw that ensures we top the group and receive a favourable draw for the Round of 16 to come in the new year.
A dramatic 2-1 home win over Fulham leads to a release of emotion for Guardiola, who describes the win as one of the best days during his time in Manchester because of the commitment of his players.
However, everyone is brought crashing back down to Earth in the final game before the World Cup and the end of the second episode as Brentford win 2-1 at the Etihad.
Spirits are low in the dressing room after the game, but it’s clear to see that Guardiola has already mentally moved on to putting a run together once his players return from Qatar.
You can watch all six episodes of Together: Treble Winners on Netflix now.
And you check out all of our episode recaps here.
