The Manchester City squad were closer than ever in 2022/23 as they won the treble, helped in no small part by the partners of the players.
City were eight points behind Arsenal at one point in the Premier League title race, but clawed back the deficit to win the title with three games to spare and ultimately finish five points ahead of the Gunners. Ilkay Gundogan's FA Cup final brace secured the domestic double, before Rodri scored the winner in the Champions League final to complete a historic treble.
Lifting the European Cup would be Gundogan's final act as City captain, as his free transfer to Barcelona was confirmed on Monday. On his departure, Gundogan penned a lengthy farewell article to City fans, and he detailed the squad harmony this season that saw the players come together closer than ever.
In particular, Gundogan noted that the players spent more time together away from the club as their wives and partners took the initiative to arrange more team bonding sessions.
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"The thing that I will remember the most is the feeling inside the squad, especially this season," he wrote for the Players' Tribune. I’ve never experienced something like it in football.
"Every day, we were laughing, and that’s rare in football. I really have to credit our wives and partners for bringing us a lot closer together this season. They organised a lot of barbecues in their group chat, and it made a big difference. This has been the closest team I’ve ever been a part of, and I think that’s part of why we were able to finally lift the Champions League trophy.
"This season, something clicked. I just knew we were going to do it. I don’t even mean just the Champions League. The Premier League, the FA Cup — everything. Week after week, I just felt everything lining up perfectly. Even when we were 10 points behind Arsenal, I knew we would win the league. We already had such a strong foundation for so many years with guys like Kevin, Kyle, John, Phil, Bernardo and Ederson, but then you add in characters like Erling and Jack, and it gave us another edge."
Gundogan also pinpointed three players who helped him personally throughout the season, citing a close bond with fellow German Stefan Ortega, who signed last summer, and fellow captain Kevin De Bruyne.
"As Germans, we had a lot in common, and just having our espresso together every day for the last year helped me to open up a lot more," Gundogan admitted. "If he wasn’t here, I don’t think I would have had the same season. In football, you need those anchors, and Stefan was that for me. I also got a lot closer to Kevin De Bruyne this season. I felt like I could talk to him about anything, and it really makes a big difference when you know you can trust your teammates as more than just colleagues."
Finally, Gundogan joked that Scott Carson was a good luck charm in the Champions League final win.
"When we got on the bus over to the hotel [in Istanbul], I was sitting near Scott Carson, and obviously he had been a part of that Liverpool team that came back from 3–0 down against AC Milan in 2005," said Gundogan.
"He said, 'Don’t worry, boys. Every time I come to Istanbul, I leave with a Champions League trophy.' Hahahah. With Scott in the squad, we couldn’t lose, I suppose."
