Nedum Onuoha believes Man City's treble win is 'extra special' given clubs rise back to the top

Sky Sports News
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Jun 13, 2023
But we start in Manchester where the blue half of the city is preparing for their trophy parade
after City beat Inter Milan on Saturday night to win the Champions League and complete the treble.
Well it's the trophy that had eluded City isn't it but they made history on Saturday
adding it to the Premier League title and FA Cup trophy this season.
Former Manchester City defender Neda Minoa was there in Istanbul and believes the achievement
is made extra special given the club's incredible rise back to the top.
I think it's been emotional for everyone. I think one thing that I loved about being
in Istanbul firstly the privilege of being invited there by Man City was the fact that
they acknowledged the history of the football club and that's the reason why the fans were crying.
People are still trying to take it all in. You know it's been an absolutely incredible experience.
I never thought I'd see this myself. I never thought I'd see it just there. I'm still a
little bit scared to touch it but you know it's been absolutely amazing to see the team do it.
They've worked so hard for it for so many years and you can see the emotion from Jack
it means so much to everyone associated with the club.
Yeah you were in the stands on Saturday night. Was there any point during that game you thought
oh this is tense we might not do this?
I think it was after the ref blew his first whistle all the way until he blew it to end the game.
I think obviously everyone saw the nature of that game but this is what it's going to be.
It's going to be tough. It's the Champions League final. I thought Inter Milan played really well
but City they found a way to do it. It was stressful. You thought it was stressful before
they scored then all of a sudden they score and all you see is the clock and you're thinking
but then that sense of relief when they finally do it. I always believed they could win the
Champions League. I never thought I'd be seeing three of them in the same season.
It's a very historic season. I think it's one that lots of us will talk about the rest of our lives.
Manchester City tweeted this video of their players enjoying their success on the way back
from Istanbul and the celebrations will go on long into the night again this evening.
I think they've gone as hard as they needed to. I think the fact that it was a late kickoff in
Istanbul kind of led to people just continuing their night as you saw with Jack Grealish staying
in his kit for as long as he did but for me you know it's deserved. All those players understand
like that was them winning their first Champions League but then also winning alongside two others
to make it as historic as it has been. So they rightly did party and I think they're going to
party again. I don't know if they're going to be like me but it's still in some ways it still
doesn't feel real. Like that did happen and I guess they'll find the true sort of gravity of it
maybe in a few days time when they can sort of not be too drunk and be able to be sober enough
to reflect on what an historic season it has been. Right let's go back live to Manchester now
and join our reporter Anton Tolui as we build up to another day of celebration. Anton good to see
you again. First of all just talk us through the plans for the victory parade. Yeah Emma as you've
been saying they partied hard in Istanbul didn't they? They partied hard on the plane. Today the
party goes into day three but today they get to do it in front of all the home fans in central
Manchester. So about 6.30 tonight the players will get on the bus just south of Deansgate. The
bus will then go all the way up Deansgate then head east slightly towards the Arndale Centre and
then loop back all the way around towards Oxford Street which is where there'll be a huge stage
set up. Presentation, music, DJs, the works as City go out to celebrate in style. And look we've seen
City parades before they've been quite lively. Since Jack Grealish got here they've been even
more lively so expect the players to let their guard down have a little bit of fun tonight and
we're hoping we can bring you all the best bits a little bit later live on Sky Sports. Yeah surely
Grealish will take centre stage again that's the only option isn't it? You're at
this new sports facility which opened today in Manchester the three trophies on display there
tell us a little bit about that. Yeah the club could have what they could have taken the
Champions League trophy put it in the boardroom put it away in a trophy cabinet instead they
decided to come here to Newton Heath just a mile away from the Etihad Stadium it's actually not
far away from Nez and Manuah himself grew up at the opening of a new community little play zone
here and they had kids from the local community kicking the ball around surprised them actually
they had no idea the trophy was going to be here so it's really nice to see the kids and the impact
of that has on the kids to see them get so excited to see those three bright shiny trophies
in fact we're all pretty excited to see those bright shiny trophies to be brutally honest we're all
football geeks aren't we but it's interesting when you speak to players you speak to the
backroom staff but also you speak to the people that work for the club day in day out you can see
how much it all means to them. It's incredible from the club's perspective to do work in our
communities with people from all different areas all different backgrounds as well it's been
something that's been core to who we are for nearly 130 years now as well today coming back after the
Champions League successes at the weekend after such a great season on the pitch to bring the
trophies out to share them with local school children at the opening of an incredible new
facility here in Newton Heath again just demonstrates what we're all about as a
football club and what we need to continue to keep building on. You see what it means to these
kids when they saw that trophy today? That's incredible yeah and to see all three together
but now we've got the Champions League trophy for the first time and for the kids to enjoy
have the photos taken with it and play football in the settings with Aidan Manuah with Alex Williams
different people from the club as well it's incredible. So expect singing, expect dancing,
expect celebrating tonight but let me hit you with three little bits of brutal doses
of realism shall we? First off look out for Kevin De Bruyne obviously we know he tore his hamstring
in that Champions League final so be interested to see how mobile he is tonight because all city
fans want him back for when the Premier League season starts again in August. Obviously also
the captain Ilkay Gundogan who will have his hands on all three trophies tonight
will it be the last time we see Ilkay Gundogan wearing some kind of city well city kit because
he's out of contract isn't he at the end of the month and thirdly wear sunscreen it's flipping
hot and you do not want to see too many bald burnt people walking around Manchester today.
I really hope you've put some on your head that's all I can say Anton thank you. I certainly have
Wow it is hot out there Manchester City fans getting pretty used to these parades now aren't
following their incredible run of success in recent years well thousands of supporters line
the streets to see the champions a year ago and on that occasion Jack Grealish stole the show.
In person I want to thank is Bernardo Silva for coming off in the 70th minute because he was miles
off. You know he plays against a lot a lot of wingers every week from everywhere but who did
actually beat you in 1v1 Kyle? In the world who beat you 1v1? Neymar? Jack? Me when I was a
Aston Villa that's why Pep signed me. Oh gosh winning the treble is a far cry isn't it from
where Manchester City were nearly 25 years ago when they were struggling in the football league
Stephen McInerney believes that's what makes this season even more memorable for supporters.
I'm 37 so I do remember when we weren't quite as good as we were and sadly I did hear it from
United fans as well because I was surrounded by them at school but to me it's sweet it's sweet
because we beat them on the way as well so we've got our own treble and we beat them in an FA Cup
final which makes it a little bit nicer for me but it does kind of you know your mind flashes
back instinctively when that full-time whistle went it's hard not to get a flashback of me being
like just a kid crying over relegation or whatever but I love that and I wouldn't change it for the
world and I know a lot of City fans feel the same because you know Arsenal and United and Chelsea
a bad season for them is maybe lower mid-table you know like for us we've actually been down
there and I know we you know we got so lucky with all the investment and so on but to me I wouldn't
change a single second of it I love our history I love the fact that we did struggle when I was
growing up because it made moments like that as I said even sweeter you know like if you've
really seen the depths then you understand the highs and that's how I feel personally as a fan
and I did get a little bit reflective did get a little bit teary I'm not gonna lie it full-time
