Manchester City defeated Chelsea 1-0 this Saturday (16) at Wembley Stadium, with a goal from Semenyo, and won the FA Cup for the eighth time in the club’s history.
This is Pep Guardiola’s third FA Cup title —under his command, the club won the trophies for the 2018-2019 and 2022-2023 seasons—, and the victory ends the run of two consecutive runners-up in the competition.
Coach of Manchester City since 2016, the Spanish coach has lifted six cups from the English Championship, five from the English League Cup, three from the English Super Cup and one each from the Champions League, the Club World Cup and the European Super Cup.
Manchester City’s participation in this year’s tournament decision is a historic milestone — no other club had played in four consecutive FA Cup finals.
Guardiola’s team reached the final unbeaten, after beating Exeter City 10-1 in the third round, beating Salford City 2-0 and Newcastle United 3-1 afterwards and beating Liverpool 4-0 in the quarter-finals. In the semi-final, the club defeated Southampton 2-1.
Chelsea, in turn, had a season marked by surprises and were the underdogs in the decision. The club reached the FA Cup final in ninth place in the English Championship and has undergone two manager changes this year.
Enzo Maresca, Club World Cup champion in 2025, was fired on January 1st, and his replacement, Liam Rosenior, could not resist a series of stumbles and left the team. Calum McFarlane took interim command in the final weeks of the season.
Manchester City occupies second place in the Premier League, behind Arsenal, and is in contention for the title. The club faces Bournemouth next Tuesday (19th) and Brighton on the 24th.
