Go behind the scenes of our amazing 2022/23 Treble-winning season in this unmissable six-part series.
Through the highs and lows, sun and rain, wins and losses, it charts our journey to a third successive Premier League title, FA Cup triumph and all the way to Istanbul for the Champions League final against Inter.
As part of the production process, City Studios spoke to the players and staff who were at the heart of the success.
For each episode, we’ll let the key players tell you their memories of those events the show covers in their own words.
Episode five begins with our game against closest title rivals Arsenal at the Etihad and the chance to take a huge step towards the title.
Pep Guardiola: [It’s] really good to be here. After the first round of the Premier League Arsenal have done it’s difficult to think we were here in that moment. It’s an important game, we can get points and our biggest opponent cannot. But we have to focus on what we have to do, we’ve played two times this season and the FA Cup and in there it was really tight games and really difficult. [It’s] really important, not decisive because there’s still many tough games for both sides. We have more games to play but we can’t deny the importance.
Ruben Dias: Every year there’s this strong opponent. It’s perfect because it just makes your triumph better. I guess we wouldn’t want it any other way. It has been difficult and it will keep on being difficult until the end, whatever happens in the game [against Arsenal]. It’s again one of those moments. It’s another final. We’ve been playing finals for a long time now and it’s that moment of the season. Every game it’s all or nothing. It’s just another one. Just another day at the office.
It was to be a brilliant performance with Kevin De Bruyne scoring twice, either side of a John Stones header before Erling Haaland let his hair down to score a late fourth in an epic 4-1 win.
Kevin De Bruyne: Good huh? It was a nice goal! It was important, we knew we had to win the game. We started incredibly and played a really good game. I think we dominated Arsenal in that game so it was brilliant.
Bernardo Silva: We beat them but honestly I think we have so many tough games. We play Fulham away then two games at home, then Everton away, Brighton away, Brentford away, Chelsea at home. We can drop points. That’s the reality and they can win their five games. It’s not over and each game at the time, we’re going to fight for this Premier League and hopefully at the end we will celebrate with our fans.
Next up is a tough trip to Fulham where goals from Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez secured a 2-1 victory.
Erling Haaland: Every game is a final for us now. We have to take it game by game and we have to be ready for every single game because now every single game counts. I think we’re ready and I think we can go all the way in every single competition because we have the quality and I think we have the mentality. I see it in people’s eyes that they are ready. Not scared, they are more confident and excited. I have a really good feeling for all three competitions.
A 3-0 victory over West Ham maintained our winning streak as Haaland broke the record for most Premier League goals in a season with an assist from Jack Grealish.
Jack Grealish: It was funny because I said to him in the game before against Fulham at half-time I said I’m going to assist your record-breaking. Then literally as we came out at half-time for the second half, I played a pass to him and he went ‘bam’ but the keeper made a save and I was like: ‘No!’. Fuming. Then for the rest of that game I didn’t get another chance to give him a pass or anything. Then it happened against West Ham – I don’t know it’s just isn’t it? I felt like I broke the record. I thought I need to get him this assist and as soon as I won the ball back in that area, there was only one thought on my mind, just to get him the ball because I knew he was going to score. At the time I thought he was offside and as soon as I celebrated, if you watch it back I’m like: ‘Ref, is it checked?’ And he said: ‘Yeah it’s checked’. And I was like: ‘Thank God!’
The big games keep coming. In the Champions League semi-final first leg we returned to Real Madrid where we suffered injury heartbreak the year before. Pep Guardiola gives a stirring prematch team talk and this time Kevin De Bruyne’s equaliser sets up a mouth-watering second leg at the Etihad.
Pep Guardiola: Last time we were here, you know what happened. Minute-by-minute, during 180 minutes, guys. This is the only way I know to reach the final and try to fight to lift this amazing trophy. It’s winning minute-by-minute during 180. There is no other solution, okay?
Kevin De Bruyne: What happened last year, it’s not nice. The feeling was annoying and sad but I don’t see it as [revenge]. We tried to win the competition again and we didn’t do it and this year is a new game. It’s basically a new competition, I don’t feel any revenge feelings I just want to try to win this time. It was a really good goal, a powerful shot.
Jack Grealish: It was difficult, so difficult. I think we probably had one of the toughest runs, obviously Leipzig is always a tough game and we saw how tough it was at their place. I know we came back here and won 7-0 but you can’t take that for granted. Then to play Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. You don’t look back and say I want to play all these hard teams because you just want to get to the final. But looking back at it, it’s been perfect. The run, the games, the away legs, we drew every one in the knockout stages. Even for myself, I’ve felt like I’ve played such a big part. It’s stuff that you just dream of. Not even when you’re young, the last few years, I thought I’d love to play in Champions League knockout games at the Bernabeu and the Allianz Arena, and I’m just praying that we can go all the way.
Before the return leg, City win 3-0 at Everton with two brilliant goals from Ilkay Gundogan and shortly after, Arsenal slip up at home to Brighton. Three days later, the Spanish champions and in one of the greatest performances in European history, City run out 4-0 winners to clinch a place in the final against Inter. Bernardo Silva scores twice in the first half before Manuel Akanji and Julian Alvarez secure a stunning victory.
Pep Guardiola: These guys have done it for many years and today they got the reward they deserve. A final against an Italian team. When the draw was Real Madrid, I said want it. Today it was there. I’m very pleased for the organisation, the chairman, owner and players. I had the feeling these last days we had a mix of calm and tension to play these types of games. After 10 or 15 minutes I had the feeling that all the pain that we had during one season last season was today there. You have to swallow poison and swallow everything, be kind and football and sport always gives you another chance. We accepted the defeat and today we were there. Football and life always gives you an opportunity and the important thing is to never give up and try again.
Bernardo Silva: With our people we’re always very strong. They were amazing once again today. They helped us get momentum to go after Madrid. We know how tough they are. Even in the second half they pushed us and could have scored. We were very resilient, very passionate and organised at the same time, I’m so happy with this performance. I think my performance in Madrid was not the one I wanted, and I wanted to compensate that. I didn’t feel very good at all after the first game. Today I had to do better for my teammates and the fans, and thats what I tried to do. I’m very happy to help them. I’m very good with my head! I’m small but very good with my head.
Arsenal needed to beat Nottingham Forest to keep the pressure on City, but a 1-0 defeat confirmed us as champions for a third successive season. Our final home game against Chelsea turned into a title party at the Etihad following a 1-0 win.
Jack Grealish: A few days before I was thinking I don’t not want Arsenal to beat Forest because I want us to do it. But on the day, I was thinking: ‘No Forest, just beat them!’ Stop getting too confident, just get the job done Jack. I stopped thinking: ‘Oh I want to do it tomorrow.’ If we can win it today, then let’s win it today. So I was buzzing in the end that they’d done it. And it was nice to be here and be surrounded by a few of the players and all the staff.
Kyle Walker: [The feeling] is relief and each one’s a bit different. Obviously it’s fantastic winning them but each one has a different meaning. Would have I wanted to win it against Chelsea at the Etihad in front of all our fans? Of course I would. Was I complaining when we won it the day before? No I wasn’t because it’s in the bag then and you don’t take these things for granted. For me, to win five, I would never have though that possible when I signed here, I would have been happy with one. But to win five in six years has been fantastic. It’s a testament to this group of players, how many points we were behind Arsenal and the players they’ve got, I was very close to [Zinchenko] and Gabi [Jesus] and I know how much they would have been riling them up and geeing them up. To get a guard of honour for our last three games, it’s half embarrassing, when you’re walking out. When you get out there you realise it’s some achievement to win the title with three games to go so getting a guard of honour from Chelsea felt really good.
After finishing the Premier League season with a draw against Brighton and defeat at Brentford it was time for the first ever Manchester derby final at Wembley. United had an extra reason to stop City as the only Club to have completed a Treble.
Kevin De Bruyne: It’s not a good answer but it’s just another game! It’s a big game and if we win that, it’s always bragging rights with it being a derby and I know the importance and the sentiment behind it. But for me, I just look at it as another final, another big game, perform to the best of your ability and hopefully we’ll win that and it could be good preparation for the other final next week.
Kyle Walker: There’s always going to be hype for a Manchester derby. When you’re on the brink of doing something so special that only that team has done in 1999 in [England], they were not going to roll the red carpet out for us and let us win that game.
Ilkay Gundogan scored the quickest goal in an FA Cup final after just 13 seconds but it’s 1-1 at half-time after controversial penalty and the boss has a crucial team talk.
Pep Guardiola: Are you ready to fight? They want to provoke the referees, all the problems and for us to lose control. Don’t lose our control guys. Focus again with the football. Try to win duels and be strong in the moments we arrive. You were brilliant guys. Okay? Because it’s not easy. Defend. The long balls are hard to win. Try to break the line in attack.
Gundogan gets a second and City win the second part of the Treble with Pep Guardiola in tears after the final whistle.
Kyle Walker: I did feel a lot of pressure going into that game because if we got over that game we would be 90 minutes away from being history. I knew that emotionally; it would be a little bit more difficult. The Champions League final is going to be a tough game but against your bitter rivals, I thought if we lost that, would the senior members be able to pick these lads up to then go again a week later in a Champions League final? We could have but it’s a lot easier now we’re in touching distance of greatness.
Ilkay Gundogan: To win a final is always special. Every trophy is special. This group deserves it. We played really well, the second half was amazing and we deserved to lift another trophy.
After flying back to Manchester, the first team bump into Sir Elton John, who has a message for the squad.
Sir Elton John: One more next week! Come on, come on!
Pep Guardiola: We saw him when we landed from London after winning the FA Cup. He was incredibly kind.
The rest of the Oral Histories are available to read here.
You can watch all six episodes of Together: Treble Winners on Netflix now.
