Man City: Thousands of fans watch players celebrate Premier League title in open-top bus parade
Manchester City players celebrated their dramatic Premier League title success with an open-top bus parade.
Thousands of fans gathered through the streets of Manchester to welcome their heroes, following their stunning 3-2 comeback victory over Aston Villa on Sunday.
Manager Pep Guardiola was seen enjoying his customary cigar after winning his tenth league championship during his managerial career, while players were seen enjoying themselves with drinks and taking in the incredible atmosphere during the parade.
Manchester City celebrated their fourth league title in five seasons with a bus parade
Riyad Mahrez and Jack Grealish take photos during the bus parade while captain Fernandinho is keeping a close grip on the Premier League trophy which they won after a dramatic final day
Pep Guardiola, who described his squad as legends, enjoyed a cigar during the celebrations
Grealish and Kevin De Bruyne raise their thumbs up for the camera while they enjoy a drink
Rodri who contributed towards City’s comeback sprays a drink at the crowds gathered
Ederson during the bus parade after a season in which he shared the Golden Gloves award
A Manchester City fan climbs onto a bus stop to get the best view of the bus parade
Thousands of fans gathered alongside the 1.5km route through the streets of Manchester
Manchester City fans wave flags as they await in anticipation for their heroes to come by
Jack Grealish and Kevin De Bruyne were among players seen with drinks in hand, with the latter admitting that he was a ‘little bit drunk’ when speaking during the parade.
Rodri sprayed his drink towards the crowd of supporters, while players took their turns raising the trophy in front of the bus.
Fernandinho spent some time with the trophy in what is his last act as a Manchester City player as he gets set to leave this summer.
The parade set off at 6pm from the National Football Museum, with jubilant supporters lining the streets to cheer on Pep Guardiola’s side.
As the bus trawled along the 1.5km route through the city centre, Fernandinho was keeping close hands on the Premier League trophy at the front – in what is his final act for the club before he leaves this summer.
Grealish joked that he was glad that Bernardo Silva was hooked off in the second-half
De Bruyne admitted he was a ‘little bit drunk’ while he was interviewed during the parade
Kyle Walker grabbed a microphone to sing ‘We are the Champions’ by Queen with supporters
The parade finished on Deansgate where players were then scheduled to be presented on stage at around 7pm.
As the bus came to a stop players enjoyed a rendition of ‘We are the Champions’ by Queen with fans joining in.
During the stage presentation, Guardiola told the fans in attendance: ‘It was a plan to be calm at 2-0 down. It was a great afternoon and great night.
‘Everybody knows it was an incredible achievement. This is the toughest league and we have won four since we have been here. I can see the happiness on the people’s faces.
‘It was a tough moment at the end and it was over. The players showed an incredible comeback, there was a lot of tension after Real Madrid but we never give up. We have to be so proud of the group of players.’
Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez take a photo with the trophy in front of the club’s supporters
Kyle Walker enjoys a drink as he rubs the hair of inspirational midfielder De Bruyne
Oleksandr Zinchenko celebrates with the trophy after making a big impact against Villa
Jack Grealish celebrates with a bottle of beer as he is pictured alongside a club mascot
Supporters gathered for a stage show with the bus parade finishing off at Deansgate
Blue fares are let off while supporters waited for the bus parade to reach Deansgate
During the parade, De Bruyne said: ‘I am a little bit drunk. It is amazing, to do this for the fourth time. We couldn’t really do it last year because of Covid but amazing to see so many people here to celebrate with us.
’10 seconds after the 2-0 (felt we lost it) but we did it, the City way. Now it feels very sweet.
‘Thank you to the fans, the last game and atmosphere was amazing. Enjoy the summer and let’s go again.’
Grealish was also seen to be enjoying himself and made a joke out of team-mate Bernardo Silva’s expense.
The £100million signing said: ‘The main person I want to thank is Bernardo Silva for coming off in the 70th minute as he was miles off it yesterday.’
Rodri who scored the equaliser during the game said: ‘I don’t know who to say the feelings, so emotional and we deserved to win the title. To come back from 2-0 with 20 minutes to go, we always believed we could do it. We are proud, the boys that play or don’t we are a team.
Guardiola acknowledges the fans with his coaching staff as he enjoyed his cigar
Players and supporters joined together in a rendition of ‘We are the Champions’ by Queen
The parade rounded of with a stage presentation featuring the players and coaching staff
Manchester City players were greeted one-by-one during the stage presentation
‘I love this City, the crowd and is the club of the city. England is unbelievable and Manchester is great.’
John Stones added: ‘It is hard to control where and when you are playing but to finish at home is incredible, it makes all the difference.
‘Everyone was frustrated on 45-50 minutes but to stick by us and get through the game, keep the support and to get through it is incredible.
‘We are all one team, together and it feels like that. We did it’
Oleksandr Zinchenko made a huge impact off the bench, in a substitution that was hailed on social media alongside Ilkay Gundogan.
The full-back was emotional after the match, as players hugged him as he wrapped the Ukrainian flag around the Premier League trophy.
Ilkay Gundogan came off the bench to score twice during Manchester City’s 3-2 victory
Man City lifted the trophy on Sunday after winning the title by just one point to Liverpool
During the parade, he said: ‘It was an unbelievable day and I am so proud to be a part of this amazing club. The fans deserve it.
‘At 2-0 down everyone was so disappointed. After scoring one goal we would push and the fans were amazing. We started to believe and we did it.’
Manchester City’s title hopes looked bleak when Matty Cash and Phillipe Coutinho gave the visitors a 2-0 lead.
But goals from Rodri and Gundogan’s brace sealed the title for Guardiola’s side – a decade after they won their first Premier League title by the same scoreline in a 3-2 win over QPR.
After the game, manager Guardiola hailed his side as ‘legends’ after their latest league triumph.
Speaking on Sunday, Guardiola said his players would ‘be remembered’ for their accomplishments, and added: ‘When you win the Premier League in this country four times in five seasons, it is because these guys are so, so special.’
