One of the misconceptions about Pep Guardiola is that he’s a hard taskmaster. In reality, he has always had an appreciation of the merits of proper time off, allowing players to savour success.
So as Bernardo Silva ate some dough with a bit of cheese and tomato on top inside City’s dressing room, Rodri butchered a Queen classic with an Asahi beer in hand and Erling Haaland wandered the streets of Manchester in pyjamas, City were allowed to celebrate this third consecutive title in whichever way they saw fit.
The players had not one, but two parties on Sunday evening. The first was downstairs at the Etihad Stadium’s premium area of their hospitality suites, the Tunnel Club, and shared with club staff. The paying public in the posh bit had been vacated by 8pm and those with wristband access — family and friends, largely — kicked off the night.
Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak made a brief appearance, congratulating staff for the first of potentially three trophies this season. Tables were full of sliders, mini-burgers, tapas and some small cakes but the free bar was more appealing as it carried on long into the evening, finishing up at around midnight — 90 minutes later than originally planned.
The vast majority of Guardiola’s squad had vacated some time beforehand, the last saying their goodbyes at just gone 10pm, because there was party No 2 waiting. That was a 10-minute car journey away, in Mnky Hse — a Latin American restaurant-turned-nightclub — just around the back of St Peter’s Square.
Erling Haaland was pictured wearing sky blue pyjamas at a Manchester nightclub on Sunday for Man City’s title celebration
Club captain Ilkay Gundogan looked in good spirits as he attended Man City’s title celebration with his wife Sara Arfaoui
Kyle Walker appeared in his element on the night, chorusing the terrace chant for John Stones
There, a sharing feast platter — including caviar, lobster, ceviches, gillardeau oysters, tacos, sushi and salad — will set punters back £1,000.
Nothing as indulgent as that on Sunday, with finger food laid out and the bar, rebranded to incorporate City’s badges, stocked full with Estrella. An ornamental gorilla was decked out in City scarf and hat, as you do.
Sweet Caroline got an airing, Haaland cooking his own steaks back in the kitchen with some panache. The 52-goal striker had earlier been playing with anybody, fan or staff, who had a ball out on the pitch after Ilkay Gundogan’s trophy lift.
The kit men were there, including Brandon Ashton, who had earlier bowed to the ground when his name was read out over the Etihad PA system.
Kyle Walker appeared in his element, chorusing the terrace chant for John Stones over the mic — cutting the DJ off when he turned up Boney M’s Daddy Cool, the track behind the song. ‘I’m still talking,’ Walker said, before adding that Stones ‘f****** hates United’.
Kevin De Bruyne attended the celebration with his wife Michele Lacroix (left) after Thierry Henry recently revealed the Belgian midfielder has been dealing with a ‘private’ issue
Haaland put a picture of his steaks cooking at the Manchester nightclub on his Instagram story
Not that the all-Manchester FA Cup final a week on Saturday requires any extra spice.
Minds will focus back on to the Premier League in the interim. City travel to Brighton tomorrow but Guardiola will have an eye on United and Inter Milan.
The squad were due in for a warm down at the training ground yesterday and their manager will likely choose a mixed team at the Amex Stadium, with some of the fringe players and more established stars together.
It is a good time to rest legs but Guardiola will also be mindful of not undercooking them either and that balance could be tricky to strike.
‘If we switch off, then it’s more difficult to switch back on,’ Silva said. ‘We need to make sure we arrive in those games against United and Inter in a good rhythm so we can win.’
