When Manchester City lifted the Champions League trophy on a warm night in Istanbul on June 10, 2023, they sealed their place in football immortality. By winning the Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League in a single season, City achieved the rare and coveted treble — a feat only previously accomplished by Manchester United among English clubs. But this triumph wasn’t a stroke of luck or a single season of brilliance. It was the culmination of meticulous planning, ruthless ambition, tactical innovation, and an obsessive pursuit of excellence.
Manchester City’s treble season is the story of how a club transformed itself into a modern footballing dynasty.
The Long Road to Greatness
City’s 2022–23 season was merely the crowning jewel of a journey that began over a decade earlier. The takeover by Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008 provided the financial muscle, but it was the long-term vision that truly set City apart from other cash-rich clubs.
City invested not only in players but also in infrastructure, building the sprawling Etihad Campus — one of the best training facilities in the world. They hired Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain, experienced executives from FC Barcelona, to craft a new footballing culture. Their mission: to create a system and identity that could sustain success for decades, not just years.
Pep Guardiola’s appointment in 2016 was the final piece of the puzzle. Guardiola brought a relentless obsession with improvement, a revolutionary tactical mind, and a commitment to a specific style of play. City weren’t just aiming to win — they were aiming to dominate.
Pep Guardiola: The Architect of Perfection
If City’s success was a machine, Pep Guardiola was the engineer.
Guardiola’s football is rooted in positional play (juego de posición), where the ball moves with precision and players occupy spaces methodically to pull apart defenses. Yet, in the 2022–23 season, Pep evolved his philosophy once again.
Faced with the challenge of an increasingly competitive Premier League and the weight of Champions League expectations, Guardiola adapted. He embraced a more pragmatic, physically robust version of City, blending control with ruthlessness.
The addition of Erling Haaland, a pure striker, represented a subtle but profound shift. For years, City had played without a traditional No. 9, using a false nine to control games. With Haaland, they had a direct, explosive option — someone who could destroy defenses in seconds.
Guardiola also experimented tactically, often using a hybrid system where defenders like John Stones stepped into midfield, effectively creating an extra man in possession. This fluidity between a back three and a midfield diamond gave City overwhelming control without sacrificing defensive solidity.
In essence, Guardiola reimagined his own system to suit the moment — a hallmark of truly great managers.
Building the Perfect Squad
Manchester City’s treble-winning squad wasn’t just about stars — it was about balance, depth, and versatility.
– Erling Haaland: The Norwegian shattered goal-scoring records, finishing with 52 goals across all competitions. His lethal finishing and off-the-ball movement gave City a terrifying new dimension.
– Kevin De Bruyne: The Belgian maestro remained City’s creative heartbeat, delivering inch-perfect passes and orchestrating attacks with vision few players possess.
– Rodri: Perhaps City’s most underrated asset, Rodri anchored midfield with intelligence, physicality, and tactical awareness.
– Rúben Dias and Manuel Akanji: Provided steel and composure at the back, ensuring City could withstand high-pressure moments.
– Jack Grealish: After a tough first season, Grealish blossomed, combining flair with discipline on the left flank.
– Ilkay Gündogan: The German captain produced vital goals and composed performances when it mattered most, particularly in tight games.
Importantly, City’s squad was packed with players who could adapt to multiple roles. Bernardo Silva played as a winger, midfielder, and even a defensive auxiliary. Stones transformed into a hybrid defender-midfielder. Such flexibility made City unpredictable and nearly impossible to stop.
The Mentality of Champions
Winning a treble demands more than talent — it requires an elite mentality.
Throughout the season, City faced challenges that could have derailed them: a fierce title race with Arsenal, mounting fixture congestion, and the lingering pressure of chasing an elusive Champions League title.
Yet, rather than buckle, City thrived.
When Arsenal led the Premier League for much of the season, City remained patient, applying pressure week by week until they overtook them with clinical ruthlessness. In Europe, they exorcised the ghosts of previous failures by dismantling Real Madrid 5–1 on aggregate in the semi-finals — a performance that symbolized their growth.
Pep Guardiola’s message was clear: never get too high, never get too low. Each game was treated as a final. Each training session was an opportunity to improve. Complacency was the enemy, and City never let it creep in.
Key Moments That Defined the Treble
Certain matches captured the essence of City’s treble-winning campaign:
– Manchester City 4–1 Arsenal (Premier League, April 2023): In a title decider, City overwhelmed their closest challengers with a performance of controlled aggression.
– Manchester City 4–0 Real Madrid (Champions League semi-final second leg): Perhaps the finest display under Guardiola, City dominated the reigning European champions from start to finish.
– FA Cup Final: Manchester City 2–1 Manchester United: In a symbolic clash against their historic rivals, City showed grit and poise, with İlkay Gündoğan scoring the fastest goal in FA Cup final history.
– Champions League Final: Manchester City 1–0 Inter Milan: It wasn’t vintage City — it was gritty, pragmatic football. Rodri’s second-half strike delivered the missing piece of Guardiola’s Manchester City masterpiece.
Each of these matches revealed a different side of City: the swagger, the resilience, and the tactical intelligence.
The Evolution of Dominance
City’s treble wasn’t just about domination — it was about evolution.
From Guardiola’s tactical tweaks to the players’ mental maturity, City showed that greatness requires constant reinvention. This wasn’t the same City that dazzled with 100 points in 2018. This was a more complete, more ruthless machine.
In doing so, City proved that dynasties aren’t built by standing still. They’re built by anticipating the next challenge before it arrives.
A Legacy Still in the Making
While the treble represents a historic peak, for Manchester City, it may only be the beginning.
The club’s infrastructure, philosophy, and hunger suggest that more silverware could follow. Young stars like Phil Foden continue to grow, while the lure of further strengthening the squad remains. Guardiola, though unpredictable, seems committed to pushing the boundaries of excellence even further.
City have redefined what it means to dominate in modern football. They blend beauty with brutality, control with chaos. They play not just to win, but to leave no doubt about who the best team on the pitch is.
Their treble season wasn’t just about one glorious year. It was about setting a new standard — one that every aspiring dynasty must now chase.
Conclusion: The Anatomy of a Dynasty
Manchester City’s treble-winning season was no accident. It was the product of vision, investment, managerial brilliance, and a relentless pursuit of improvement.
They showed the world that true greatness demands more than money or talent. It demands leadership, adaptation, humility, and above all, an insatiable desire to be better today than you were yesterday.
In 2022–23, Manchester City didn’t just win — they built a legacy.
And in doing so, they proved that the making of a modern dynasty is as much about the journey as it is about the destination.