Future is bright: Pep Guardiola bullish as Manchester City seal FA Cup win
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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says there is now some stability with his side, who have made several new signings in the last two years.
PHOTO: EPA
LONDON – The English Premier League title may be out of their hands but, as far as Pep Guardiola is concerned, the future is bright for Manchester City, who sealed a domestic cup double by beating Chelsea 1-0 in the FA Cup final on May 16.
Regardless of the conclusion of the title race, the Spaniard is confident that City are in better shape than 12 months ago when they finished the 2024-25 season without silverware.
Guardiola believes the key contributions of Antoine Semenyo, whose 72nd-minute goal sealed City’s eighth FA Cup win, and Marc Guehi, who joined during the January transfer window – along with the development of Matheus Nunes, 22-year-old Abdukodir Khusanov and 21-year-old Nico O’Reilly – show City can return to the top next term.
“I took time to click something,” he said.
“I missed something during the process. We had the feeling in the last few months that we had some stability with the team that we maybe didn’t have in the past.
“There were a lot of new players, injured players. Sometimes you need a little more time. But the highest competition doesn’t wait.
“In the Champions League, we lost to a really, really good opponent in Real Madrid.
“But in the rest of the competitions we behaved extraordinary. The future is bright.
“I know the guys. I know how they feel, the commitment for the club.
“I’m pretty sure we will be there for the next years.”
The British media has speculated that Guardiola might leave City at the end of this season, although the 55-year-old has said he still has a year left to run on his contract.
Asked on May 16 by TNT about the rumours of an early departure, he asked, “What rumours?” and put down his microphone.
After losing to local rivals Manchester United and Crystal Palace in the 2024 and 2025 FA Cup finals respectively, Guardiola said there is no time for celebrations despite winning his 15th major trophy since his 2016 arrival.
“Home – not even one beer,” said the first manager in English football history to do the domestic cup double twice.
“Next Monday, after Aston Villa, we’re going to celebrate with the women’s team with a parade in Manchester, but no, we do not have time now.”
Guardiola’s men still have an outside chance of completing a domestic treble after beating Arsenal 2-0 in the League Cup final in March at Wembley.
They are two points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal with two games left in a compelling title race.
The Gunners host relegated Burnley on May 18 while City travel to high-flying Bournemouth the following day.
On May 24, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal face Crystal Palace while City host Aston Villa.
City have announced an open-top bus parade on May 25, the day after the Premier League season wraps up, to celebrate the achievements of the men’s, women’s and academy teams.
The women’s team sealed the Women’s Super League title earlier in May.
The City boss paid tribute to the departing John Stones and Bernardo Silva. Stones remained on the substitutes’ bench at Wembley while Silva captained the side.
“There have been really no words, I said many times, to express the incredible gratitude for on and off the pitch, how they behave, represent this club in the best way possible, said Guardiola.
“Bernardo is a machine, never injured. Played in all the roles and has always been incredibly competitive. Today, he showed it again.”
Both players also hailed their manager. Silva said: “He changed the way I see football. Eighty per cent of my career was with him as my manager. All the things I hoped to achieve were with him.”
Stones said the standards set by Guardiola were unique among coaches.
“That winning mentality is nothing like I’ve ever seen,” the England defender told TNT television.
For Chelsea, interim coach Calum McFarlane now faces the task of lifting the Blues for the visit of relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on May 19 and a final-day trip to Sunderland.
They sit ninth in the table, outside qualification for any European competition next season.
McFarlane said the Blues should have been awarded a penalty against City when Jorrel Hato was bundled over by Khusanov in the second half at Wembley and that his side had matched Guardiola’s team in all areas other than taking their chances.
“The lads didn’t get what they deserved today and sometimes football can be cruel,” the 40-year-old told reporters.
“I felt we went toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the world.” AFP, REUTERS
