Ruben Dias has been a revelation for the defense of Manchester City and is a huge reason why City are having the season that they’ve always dreamed of.
The backline has always been an issue for Pep Guardiola and his men but the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager’s troubles seem to have ended with Dias consolidating his place in the XI.
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Football Writers Association has named Ruben Dias as the player of the year. The Portuguese center-back has been in red-hot form the entire season and has almost attained the status of being untouchable in the City XI.
Dias has managed to overtake the likes of Aymeric Laporte and Nathan Ake and has managed to solidify his place in the XI. Laporte and Ake have been pushed down the pecking order, thanks to Dias.
Dias, 23, joined City last summer from Benfica for a fee of £68 million-plus add-ons. The Portuguese defender has managed to beat the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Harry Kane to bag the prestigious award.
At the back, Dias has been inspirational and John Stones has received a much-needed boost this season. Stones has forged a very successful partnership with Dias at the backline.
Speaking about his success, Dias said that it was an honor to bag the prestigious award as it is the usual leading goal-scorers who win such awards.
"“It means something special because normally, the ones who finish the playsare the ones getting the spotlight but me receiving this prize is a major example of our team and the way we work – the way we build our game. It reflects all the togetherness we have on the pitch, the spirit in the team and how we perform,” Dias said.“With these players, for me to be receiving this award, it shows how we play like a family.”Source: ESPN"
The 23-year-old has certainly had a calming influence at the backline and he is one of the main reasons why Manchester City got past the Paris Saint-Germain roadblock in the UEFA Champions League semi-final despite being 1-0 down in the first half of the first leg.
Winning the FWA award is big because only those players win it who are ‘by percept and example’ the best player of the season.
Dias is sure going to start in Manchester City’s first-ever UEFA Champions League final and it is in its own way a very historic occasion for the club.