Together: Treble Winners is a new six-part series documenting the club’s 2022-23 campaign when they became only the second English club in history to win the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in the same season.

Anyone hoping for intrigue, though, may be disappointed. There is no mention, for instance, of the 115 financial charges brought against the club last February, nor Joao Cancelo’s contentious exit from the squad last January to join Bayern Munich on loan.

Instead, the series – shot by City’s in-house media team – focuses on bringing out the playful personalities within the squad.

Whether that’s Erling Haaland ridiculing Kevin de Bruyne’s fashion sense, Scott Carson mock-wrestling with Ilkay Gundogan, or Bernardo Silva explaining why he named his dog after defender John Stones.

We do get to see boss Pep Guardiola tear into the team a couple of times during a winter dip in form, but this is otherwise a story of fraternal harmony.

The series ends with an address by chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak about the “special togetherness” of the group, which he attributes to their success.

It is a notable move away from some of the more tense behind-the-scenes football documentaries of this type, such as the Amazon Prime All Or Nothing brand featuring Arsenal, Spurs, and City themselves during their 2017-18 campaign.

Instead, this has the lighter touch seen more recently in We Are Newcastle United or even Married To The Game, which focused on footballers and their partners away from the pitch.

Here are some takeaways from Together: Treble Winners:

‘You are not hungry’ – Guardiola fires up his side

City’s charge to a third consecutive Premier League title was not entirely a cakewalk, mainly owing to the challenge from Arsenal, who spent 248 days at the top of the table – the longest an English top-flight team has been at the summit without winning the competition.

In episode three, after being knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Premier League strugglers Southampton, Guardiola tears into his team, urging them to return “down to the earth” otherwise “the academy is ready”.

Looking ahead to a derby encounter with Manchester United just three days later, Guardiola warns his group to recover their “hunger”, because their opponents will be “starving” after waiting “10 years to kill us”.

‘You lose the ball? Anyone can do it?’ – Guardiola is serene during Champions League final

In episode six, the 53-year-old Guardiola shows himself just as adept with the carrot as he is the stick.

It’s 0-0 at half-time during the Champions League final against Inter Milan and he can sense his players are nervous. Guardiola reminds key midfielder Rodri that he is an “exceptional player”, adding “You lose the ball? Anyone can do it.”

Spaniard Rodri went on to score the winning goal as City completed the historic Treble in Istanbul.

‘You have to enjoy being kicked’ against Arsenal

Guardiola also has some interesting advice for his players before a crucial Premier League meeting with the Gunners in April.

“If you don’t finish the game with problems for the ankle, for the kicks, for the knees, for the shoulders, then you didn’t compete,” the Spaniard tells his players.

“You have to enjoy having been kicked. After kicks, stand up and go one more.”

Yorkshire accents, terrible singing and bonsai trees – Haaland is a big character

Erling Haaland made a phenomenal impact in his maiden season in English football. After signing for Manchester City in the summer of 2022, the 23-year-old striker scored 36 Premier League goals, beating the previous record of 34 held jointly by Alan Shearer and Andy Cole.

Haaland is a big character in this series and in episode two the Norwegian powerhouse – who finished with 52 goals in all competitions – tells us about how he “takes energy” from a special bonsai tree he has installed in the club’s physio room.

Aside from this, the Leeds-born forward’s imitation of John Stones’ Yorkshire accent in episode four is scarily accurate and his initiation song in episode one may lack melody, but is delivered with typical gusto.

Why Silva’s dog is named after Stones

On naming his French pitbull ‘John’, after team-mate and friend Stones, Bernardo Silva says “it suits him, he’s a beautiful boy, intelligent”.

We also meet Jack Grealish’s dog Skye, whom he loves “more than anything in the world” because she’s devoted to him win, lose or draw.

De Bruyne dresses like a dad

While many of Kevin de Bruyne’s team-mates treat the training ground as a catwalk, the 32-year-old Belgian midfielder mostly wears beige.

“It doesn’t make sense to make a fashion shoot coming into training,” he explains. “I’ve got no time, I need to wake up at 5:30 in the morning with three kids going to school – please, get me something comfortable, what is on top of the pile.”

Phillips mystery remains unsolved

Many viewers would have been hoping for an insight into Kalvin Phillips’ struggles at the club, looking to piece together clues as to why he didn’t win Guardiola’s trust and make more first-team starts.

England international Phillips signed for City for £45m in July 2022, but only managed two starts in 16 Premier League appearances across 18 months before being loaned to West Ham in January 2024.

Although he doesn’t get many pieces to camera during the series, the 28-year-old is present throughout, during all the training ground banter and dressing room bonding moments. Nothing to see here…

City’s 3-1 win over Manchester United at Etihad Stadium on Sunday means the 27-year-old is now on the longest unbeaten run in all competitions of any Premier League player past or present.

“It is difficult to understand what we have done in recent years without him. It would’ve been difficult,” City boss Pep Guardiola told the club’s website last month.

The run surpasses that of former Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho (58 games), with Rodri’s last loss in a City shirt coming against Tottenham in February 2023 – although it does include City’s defeat on penalties by Arsenal in the Community Shield.

In that time City have won the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup along with the Uefa Super Cup and the Club World Cup, while Rodri was also part of the Spain team that won the Nations League.

The holding midfielder signed from Atletico Madrid in 2019 for £62.5m in the hope that he would eventually step into the boots of former captain Fernandinho.

Like his predecessor, Rodri’s role at City is one that tends to fly under the radar, with the likes of Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne taking the headlines. But according to players, pundits and his manager along with the stats, his significance in City’s exploits in recent years cannot be overstated.

‘What can’t this guy do?’

Pep Guardiola says Rodri is “unbelievable” and “the best midfield player, currently, in the world by far”.

A humble guy with no social media who studied for a business degree while also assisting City to their fifth Premier League title in 2021 – his second with the club – Rodri does not often receive the plaudits.

“He’s the one who allows your De Bruyne’s, Phil Foden’s and Bernardo Silva’s to do what they do because he’s so good,” said former City forward Paul Dickov on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Guardiola said the holding midfielder should “never, ever be in the highlights” and “do the job he has to do”.

“The highlights have to belong to other people. The holding midfielder has to think for the rest of the team and do not expect the recognition. But internally? All team-mates and staff, they all know how important and decisive he is. Massively important for us,” the City boss added.

But it is the compliments he receives from his peers which provide the bigger picture.

“It is just a joy to share a football pitch with him,” said Luton captain Tom Lockyer on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“You don’t say that about a lot of players but he was certainly one of them where you come off the pitch and you go ‘wow’. When you’re on a pitch with him you’re just thinking ‘what can’t this guy do?’

“He’s just a Rolls Royce. When you thought you had him pressed and were going to nick the ball, you weren’t, he was just teasing you in so the person who got next pass had more time on the ball. Those are the sort of games he plays. It is very rare he gets caught on the ball and he just dictates everything that Manchester City do.”

When it comes to individual awards, there are City players more likely to win them. But for the big moments on the pitch, he is as prolific as any of them.

It was perhaps fitting, then, that it was Rodri who struck the only goal against Inter Milan in Turkey last year to win Manchester City a first Champions League title and complete a historic Treble.

“With him, we are a better team,” said Guardiola. “No doubt.”

Rodri leads the passing stats

Manchester City are famed for their passing football under Guardiola, the masters of dominating possession.

At the heart of that is Rodri, with the Spaniard topping the charts for most passes attempted and completed by any midfielder across all competitions since his unbeaten run began.

He has the most successful passes per 90 minutes in Europe’s big-five leagues this season and in recent seasons has started to add goals and assists, with seven goals and six assists for City this season.

City’s record when Rodri is not in the team speaks volumes, too.

When he was suspended after receiving a red card against Nottingham Forest earlier this season, Guardiola’s side lost all three games without him – at Newcastle, Wolves and Arsenal.

“Everything City do in the build-up starts from Ederson but Rodri is involved at some stage, whether it’s getting it off the back four or pushing up a little bit,” said Dickov.

“The biggest compliment to him is how important his teammates think he is. He puts fires out left, right and centre when City don’t have the ball but when he does he’s just phenomenal.”

City finished 2022-23 with a hat-trick of major trophies and begin this year’s Premier League campaign against newly promoted Burnley on Friday.

“It is once in a lifetime,” Guardiola said. “It will not be possible to do what we did last season.”

City are bidding to be the first team in history to win four successive English top-flight titles.

But Guardiola said winning the league, Champions League and FA Cup again would be too difficult.

“We climbed the highest mountain last season, but in the last two days we came down from it and now we start again,” he said.

“Everyone has the same intention and there will be a lot of difficulties to climb the mountain as high as possible. Our football, our level, our mentality will dictate how the season will be.”

City will be bolstered by new signings Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic when they come up against former captain Vincent Kompany’s Burnley at Turf Moor.

Guardiola said both players were “ready” and could be involved in the opening match of the season while uncertainty remains around the City futures of defender Kyle Walker and winger Cole Palmer.

The City boss said the club “wish” Walker stays and he does not know what will happen with 21-year-old Palmer, who has been linked with a move to West Ham.

“[Palmer is] with us. What will happen, I don’t know,” said Guardiola. “I understand he wants to be more active than the previous season but Riyad [Mahrez] is gone, there is one more place there. We will see.”

In his news conference on Thursday, Guardiola would not comment on West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta, who has been linked with the club this week.

‘Nothing will change’

City’s campaign for further success this season will be made difficult by an even more congested fixture schedule, with the club also involved in the Club World Cup and European Super Cup.

Concerns have been raised frequently by Premier League managers that the schedule is too demanding and that players and coaches do not get enough say in the packed calendar.

“We go to meetings [with Uefa and Premier League] but they don’t pay any attention,” said Guardiola.

“We don’t have enough days to play all these games in all competitions. When a team in the Premier League doesn’t play in Europe, it is not a problem, but people say we play in the same conditions. We don’t – we play more games.”

Guardiola has also been critical of the new officiating directive which will see matches have more injury time this season to accurately reflect stoppages in play.

City conceded a 101st-minute equaliser in their Community Shield match against Arsenal, eventually losing on penalties.

He said there are already too many matches without significant periods of extra time being added on but that the “big brain guys” make decisions without consulting players and managers.

“There are no more days, more games, so you can’t give a day off to the players,” Guardiola added.

“This argument is from a long time ago and it is getting worse but what can I do? They decide. Nothing will change.

“I have been saying it. Jurgen Klopp has been saying it. When we are invited to Uefa meetings, we cannot go because we are busy. I have to prepare. I don’t have time.”

Blue flares were set off and fans threw inflatable bananas in the air as several of the players went shirtless in the heavy rain.

Manager Pep Guardiola was seen puffing on a cigar as fans climbed lamp-posts.

The parade was delayed by lightning storms. City beat Inter Milan 1-0 in the Champions League final.

Guardiola said: “We had to have rain as this is Manchester. The fans are used to the rain.”

It comes after the club clinched the Premier League and FA Cup this season.

Guardiola said his side’s Champions League success following Rodri’s 68-minute goal was “written in the stars”.

IMAGE SOURCE: PA MEDIA

Image caption: Phil Foden shows off the Champions League trophy

A drenched Guardiola was later seen pumping his fists to the crowd as the players showed off all three trophies.

Defender Ruben Dias and striker Erling Haaland were among several players who went shirtless after they were drenched in the rain.

Haaland, 22, led the dancing players onto a stage just after 20:00 BST as midfielder Kalvin Phillips serenaded England defender John Stones.

Guardiola hailed the fans for coming out in the storms.

He said: “We had to be the best parade with this rain, otherwise it is not Manchester.

“We don’t want sunshine, we want rain, so it was perfect. The fans are used to the rain.”

IMAGE SOURCE: PA MEDIA

Image caption: Topless defender Ruben Dias held up the FA Cup in the rain

Captain Ilkay Gundogan said it was “incredible” that they had “three trophies”.

England midfielder Jack Grealish said: “For the past 24 hours, I have had the best day and night.

“To be fair, I don’t think I have slept.”

The team had departed from Tonman Street, Deansgate, at the slightly delayed time of 19:00 BST due to stormy weather and travelled to St Mary’s Gate.

IMAGE SOURCE: REUTERS

Image caption: The parade was delayed due to forecast lightning storms

IMAGE SOURCE: PA MEDIA

Image caption: One fan climbed up a set of traffic lights to get a good view of the parade

IMAGE SOURCE: REUTERS

Image caption: A Jack Grealish lookalike gets a good vantage point, too

The delays did not dampen the spirits of the fans.

Zoro and his family said they were looking forward to seeing Guardiola, Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden.

IMAGE SOURCE: PA MEDIA

Image caption: City players show off the three trophies

He said: “This goes down in history for us. Pep has just redesigned the football world. It’s a big statement but it’s true.”

The parade travelled through Cross Street and King Street, before finishing on the corner of Princess Street and Portland Street.

Image caption: Zack, Nic and Noah have travelled from Blackpool to be at the parade

Image caption: Zoro said Guardiola has “just redesigned the football world”

City became just the second English men’s team to win the Treble, following in the footsteps of rivals Manchester United, who achieved the feat in 1999 under Sir Alex Ferguson.

The team were welcomed back by fans at Manchester Airport on Sunday after travelling from Istanbul, where the European final was played.

IMAGE SOURCE: EPA-EFE/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

Image caption: Manchester City clinched the Champions League after a 1-0 final win over Inter Milan

IMAGE SOURCE: PA MEDIA

Image caption: Crowds gather ahead of the open-top bus parade

IMAGE SOURCE: PA MEDIA

Image caption: A mural has been created on New Cathedral Street celebrating the team’s success

IMAGE SOURCE: PA MEDIA

Image caption: A street vendor sold trophy balloons as fans waited for the parade

Former City boss Joe Royle said Guardiola’s current side was one of the best teams English football had ever seen.

Royle, 74, who led the club from the third tier to the Premier League after back-to-back promotions in 1999 and 2000, said: “There’s no doubt about it. They’re one of if not the best English club side there has been.”