Manchester City fans had plenty to cheer about this week as two of their defensive pillars, Ruben Dias and Manuel Akanji, impressed in their respective international friendlies.

Dias donned the captain’s armband for Portugal against Finland and wasted no time making his mark on the game.The center-back rose majestically to meet a pinpoint Vitinha cross, powering a header past the Finnish goalkeeper to open the scoring.Portugal went on to win the match, but Dias’ leadership and goal were clear highlights.Meanwhile, Akanji put in a solid performance for Switzerland, playing the entire 90 minutes as they comfortably defeated Estonia 4-0. The defender helped keep a clean sheet, showcasing his defensive solidity at the heart of the Swiss backline.Both Dias and Akanji will be hoping to carry this positive form into the new season with Manchester City. With Joško Gvardiol, Ake and John Stones also in their ranks, Pep Guardiola has a wealth of world-class talent to choose from in central defense.City fans will be eagerly anticipating seeing this defensive masterpiece in action as the new campaign approaches.