13 Jun 2023

Manchester celebrates City's treble winning season

8:46 am on 13 June 2023
Manchester City's Spanish midfielder Rodri holds the European Cup as he celebrates with teammates their three trophies including the FA Cup and the Premier League ones during an open-top bus victory parade in the streets of Manchester, 2023.

Manchester City players during their city parade Photo: AFP

Thousands of Manchester City fans gathered to celebrate their team's historic Treble as they staged an open-top bus parade through the city.

Blue flares were set off and fans threw inflatable bananas in the air as several of the players went shirtless in the heavy rain.

Manager Pep Guardiola was seen puffing on a cigar as fans climbed lamp-posts.

The parade was delayed by lightning storms.

City beat Inter Milan 1-0 in the Champions League final in Istanbul on Sunday.

Guardiola said: "We had to have rain as this is Manchester. The fans are used to the rain."

It comes after the club clinched the Premier League and FA Cup this season.

Guardiola said his side's Champions League success following Rodri's 68-minute goal was "written in the stars".

A drenched Guardiola was later seen pumping his fists to the crowd as the players showed off all three trophies.

Defender Ruben Dias and striker Erling Haaland were among several players who went shirtless after they were drenched in the rain.

Haaland, 22, led the dancing players onto a stage as midfielder Kalvin Phillips serenaded England defender John Stones.

Guardiola hailed the fans for coming out in the storms.

He said: "We had to be the best parade with this rain, otherwise it is not Manchester.

"We don't want sunshine, we want rain, so it was perfect. The fans are used to the rain."

Captain Ilkay Gundogan said it was "incredible" that they had "three trophies".

England midfielder Jack Grealish said: "For the past 24 hours, I have had the best day and night.

"To be fair, I don't think I have slept."

City became just the second English men's team to win the Treble, following in the footsteps of rivals Manchester United, who achieved the feat in 1999 under Sir Alex Ferguson.

The team were welcomed back by fans at Manchester Airport yesterday after travelling from Istanbul, where the European final was played.

-BBC