Five and a half years.
11 trophies.
Can you try and sum up what it's been like to be a Manchester City player?
Well,
I'm so glad, to have been a part of a big project.
In the beginning, when I accepted, when I talked with Pep and then accepted
and then believe in him, in the team and the club,
and then after this five almost six years here, I think (I made) the right decision.
I did in my career and my life and then, well,
sometimes like this, you know, you have to move on.
You have to try something new.
You have to try in another place to be happy as well.
But I think we as a team, we did so well in almost six years together,
you know, I cry, I'm laughing, I lost and I won as well.
So yeah, I was very, very, very happy. More than sad.
And how much do you feel you've improved as a player from
the 19-year-old who joined the club to where you are now?
Well, I was 19 when I came and then everything was new for me.
And then today I feel home.
Today I can talk, today I can go out and then I know the country.
I will miss a little bit Manchester because,
I spend six, almost six years here and then I know everything.
I think I'm a better player and better person as well.
And how much of an influence did Pep Guardiola have on that improvement
as a player? He's been the manager the whole time you've been here.
So what sort of influence has he had on you as a player?
I come (to Manchester) at 19 so I was so young.
I'm still young, of course, but I was young and then,
I knew nothing about football when I started to play here.
I started to train with him with the guys,
I was thinking: 'Oh, I know football, but it's a different type of football'
I learn a lot and I, like I said,
I was so happy here in my time here and
I'm glad to have a part of this history.
You've touched on it already, but how much are you going
to miss both the club and the city of Manchester itself?
Well, I'm always saying the truth.
I was so happy here more than I was sad and now with new challenge,
new club, you know, new city new everything.
So I have to accept the past,
leave it there, it's always in my mind, of course, I never forget everything that I lived here.
(But) Now I move on. I'm so glad, I'm so grateful with the club, with the players,
with the staff, with the coach, with everyone.
I think I was a good person, as always, here with everyone.
If I some day I did something with someone, I say sorry.
I think now it's time to move on, and City will be in my heart forever.
Well, you definitely going to be in the hearts
of of everyone at the club and all the fans.
I think one of the many qualities you have that the fans see
is your hard work, your dedication, your professionalism.
How important are those qualities in your game
that idea of always giving 100% all the time?
I think this comes from me, it comes from inside.
Since day one I start to play football.
I'm like this, I don't change this.
And then I'm glad to, to know this.
So I'm happy when people say that because it shows who you are
and then I'm not surprised, obviously, because I knew this since day one
that I started to play football.
So I just say thank you for the fans, because
sometimes you can play ****
but you cannot stay in one position.
You have to run. You have to try.
So I'm like this.
And just going through some of your key moments in a City shirt
you obviously made your debut against Tottenham as a late sub, and then
two weeks later, a few weeks later, got your first goal against West Ham.
What are your memories from those first few months at the club?
Well, I think, one of the moments
I think only me and Lorenzo (Buenaventura) know
was in the first training session, only me and him alone on the pitch.
He goes in my hotel to pick me up,
and then we come to use the training ground and did a lot of work.
Before I start with the team,
I remember everything, and this makes me like, wow, it was a good moment.
I live this. That's the most important.
And when you joined the club, Sergio Aguero was obviously already
an established member of the squad. As a young player in those early years,
what what was your relationship like with him
and what did you kind of learn from him, if anything?
Well, like you said, Sergio Aguero
is still the king of City,
for me one of the best ever and in this history.
I come to, to play with him, to learn from him and then, yeah, I think I learn a lot.
He's a good guy, very good guy, very good
person and amazing player.
And obviously you've had quite a few iconic celebrations
during your time at the club.
Obviously, the phone signal is probably the most famous, I understand
that represents the close relationship you have with your mother.
If you're OK to just talk a bit about her and why she
remains such an important part of your life and career.
Well, yeah, yeah.
This for my mom, you know, as always she called me,
since I was young and still today.
Wow. It's like, it's Mom.
Mom is mom.
You cannot describe mom, you know, she always has my back looking after me.
So, yeah, my mom is everything in my life.
Well, now I'm a dad, so
I'm a father now, so I have a little baby as well.
You know, so now it's obviously my mom is my mom,
you know, and then my baby is my baby.
Congratulations, by the way. Thank you.
Moving back on to sort of your iconic moments
at the club in your first full season,
you were obviously the man to score the goal to take us to 100 points
away, Southampton, final day of the season.
Do you feel like that record will be emulated or matched
by another team in the coming years because it was such an incredible team effort to get there.
It was a good season. It was a top season (and) our first Premier League together title.
So, yeah, I remember everything and then I think we had a few games to get 100
and we did it.
And I'm glad to be a part of this moment because I will never forget.
(It) was a very, very, very good moment.
You know, after the game everyone celebrated together,
It looks like we won the Premier League again.
We already won, but we celebrated more than when we won.
So it was one of my favorite moments here.
And it was a lot more close a title race the season after we managed
to beat Liverpool by a point on the final day of the season.
How tough was it to retain that title that year and what were the differences
between the 100 point year and then the domestic clean sweep the year after?
If i'm not wrong, the last 14 games was like 14 wins.
and then if we were to draw one it's done.
It was very good as well because you fight to the end
and then the last game, the way it was, (it) was like last season.
I think last season was the tough moment here, the difficult moment here.
But at the end, we come back and won.
But in that time
it was like win, win, win, win, win, win to the end.
And then we won the league.
You've touched on last season's title race.
There were quite a lot of similarities, like you say,
us and Liverpool going neck and neck the whole way through
that final day of the season.
Take you back to that against Aston Villa.
Is that the most dramatic game you've ever been involved in?
100%. 100%.
Because, you know,
someone came to me from my family and said,
after the game. "If you have two choices, five nil, or the way it was," I say five nil.
you know, because you never know.
I look to the TV it was 71 minutes and 2-0 down and I was like, "We have to score two quickly."
And then we did.
We scored three quickly.
After 76 minutes it was 3-2.
And then,
you know, some things you cannot describe something is what it is you know.
And then I think we celebrate a lot
because it was here and then come and after it goes.
So yeah, it was 100% one of the most difficult moments for me.
Rewind a couple of years. Another iconic moment for you is scoring
at the Bernabeu against Real Madrid in the Champions League.
What do you remember from that game and where does it rank for
you among your sort of best moments in a City shirt?
First of all, I was not thinking I would start the game.
And then I start as a winger, left winger.
And then I was a little bit surprised and I was like, well,
I haven't played here before, so I just play.
And then I go full as always.
And then I like to play there as well.
And then I think it was
a very good game by the team.
So we played so well, but we cannot score.
We missed a few chances and then they score
and then after we was like a big club as well,
you know, like big players trying to win and then, well, we play,
we attack them, create chances and stay with the ball.
So in my mind,
it was like we are going to win the game because we are playing so good.
Amazing.
And then when Kevin (De Bruyne) crossed the ball, I was like, "Yeah, I have to."
And then I scored and after Raheem (Sterling)
won a penalty and then Kev convert so,
so good, so it was a good moment.
And then to win against this type of team
like Real Madrid, always important for the confidence,
because they are one of the best clubs in the world
and then they have amazing players as well
and then to win there in a top stadium is always good.
You scored 23 goals in all competitions that season.
Do you feel like you were playing
some of the best football of your career so far during that season?
I don't think so.
I don't think so because you know, last year I played
in different positions.
I started to play football as a winger and then I become
a striker and then I like I really like to play as a striker as well.
And then I played most of the time, last season, as a winger.
And then the last games as a striker.
So yeah, I think it was good, very good.
A little bit disappointed in the Champions League
because the way it was, was hard, and then I suffer a lot.
For me, I always say the first one, the first six months
was so important for me because I adapt, I had so much help.
So I'm grateful with the guys who helped me, like Fernando who was here, Fernandinho
they make me feel like I'm at home
so I think the six first months here, was the most important.
You've mentioned Fernando and Fernandinho in those opening few months
how important were they and also the Brazilian contingent
in general with Ederson as well arriving that summer.
How important have they been in, in helping you initially
settle, but then also hit the heights that you have at the club?
A lot.
We always spend time together always we travel together,
talking, laughing, being Brazilians
Eddy, Bernardo, Danilo in that time
and then it was like every time
we were together talking, you know, doing something.
And then after Danilo goes, comes João (Cancelo), Rúben (Dias), Kayky last season as well.
We always tried to be happy, our people are always happy, we try to be happy.
When the dust eventually settles when you've left the club and so on.
What do you think will be your favourite memory of your time here at City?
There's a few moments I will never forget.
It's a difficult question, because I'm happy to have lived here
with very good moments.
You know, I can say many goals.
I can say many trophies.
I can say the first training session the first week, the first month, the first six months
I will remember forever when I arrive,
I saw David Silva, Yaya Toure these type of players, you watch
when you you were young, like during the 2010 World Cup I saw David Silva,
and I was like, wow, you know?
Yaya, as well when he was with Barcelona.
So I was like wow, you know?
This time everything was new for me.
And then I chose this.
And we've spoken to a few fans over the last week or so.
And obviously you're a hugely, hugely popular member
of the squad among the fans.
Everything you've done for the club, can you describe the relationship
that you've had with the City fans and how much you're going to miss them
as much as they're going to miss you?
Well, I think most of them like me, love me,
and then I love all of them because, you know, always pushing
I understand sometimes they're disappointed with
not just with me, but with a lot of players, you know?
But, I think
that most of them love me because I show on the pitch,
you know, I work hard.
I'm glad, I'm happy to be here almost six years with them
and then I,
I just say thank you and
I want them to be happy forever because this club is amazing.
This club is special.
I have a good relationship with all of the players,
all the staff, with the coach, with everyone at City.
I wish all the best for the fans.
I wish for all the best for the club.
I think in a few months we face each other, maybe so.
Yeah, it's going to be good.
It's going to be a good moment.
Where you'll always be welcome back at the Etihad stadium whenever.
Gabriel, on behalf of the club, the fans, thank you so much for everything
you've given during your time here, and best of luck with your career.
Thank you so much.