Manchester City have had plenty of cause for celebration over the past few weeks – and they have certainly been making the most of it.
Pep Guardiola’s side completed an historic Treble by winning the Champions League final against Inter Milan on Saturday night. That victory was followed by an all-night party in a swanky Istanbul hotel, a private jet trip to Ibiza and another boozy night at the open-top bus parade in Manchester, which completed a hectic 48 hours of parting.
Those chaotic nights wrapped up an all-conquering campaign for City, but they weren’t the first celebrations of the season. They also made the most of their Premier League success – the fifth in the past six seasons – with a knees-up at the Tunnel Club, the Etihad Stadium’s swankiest hospitality suite.
Jack Grealish ’s dad Kevin was in the thick of things that night and has told Mirror Football all about the experience as part of a wide-ranging interview.
"All of the families get on really well and Alf, Haaland's old man, is a great bloke, really down to earth,” he said. "He came over to me and said have some of this cigar. I took a drag on it and I nearly coughed my guts up. I've not smoked for 28 years.
"To be fair to City, they've been brilliant with the celebrations and all the parties. There was one for winning the Premier League at the Tunnel Club a few weeks ago.
"The drinks bill came to £47,000, FORTY SEVEN GRAND! – I saw the receipt – and before you say it, that wasn't just Jack's drinks bill. He actually went home early that night!"
Jack may have had a quiet night on that occasion, but he certainly made up for it after the Champions League win. The former Aston Villa winger was front and centre of the celebrations, leading the singing in the dressing room and the drinking in the hotel afterwards.
The party went on until 8am on Sunday in the five-star Marriott Hotel in Istanbul, with the dancefloor and poolside both heavily used.
City then put on a private jet to whisk Grealish and his team-mates to Ibiza for a 10-hour session in the Mediterranean sunshine.
They were then flown back to Manchester – still in the same clothes from the night before – to parade around their home city. Grealish certainly drew attention, with Haaland pouring champagne over his head before he took the stage in front of adoring City fans.
There he declared he was a thirsty turkey that needed feeding, with Kyle Walker pouring vodka down his throat. After sobering up, Grealish, Walker, Kalvin Phillips, Phil Foden and John Stones made their way to St George’s Park for England training ahead of the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia.
