Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola spoke about the standards that his players have to live by as they chase more silverware
Prince William, Prince of Wales shakes hands with Pep Guardiola after Man City's FA Cup final win over Chelsea
Prince William shakes hands with Pep Guardiola after Man City's FA Cup final win over Chelsea(Image: (Alex Pantling - The FA/The FA via Getty Images))
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Pep Guardiola warned his Manchester City players that they are "not special" for winning the FA Cup as they look for more trophies. The Blues are five points behind leader Arsenal with a game in hand in the Premier League and while that is a lot to make up in a short space of time the City boss is determined that they look forward.
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City captain Bernardo Silva said after their FA Cup final victory over Chelsea that the Blues had developed a taste for winning trophies that he believed would stand them in good stead for subsequent years. Guardiola agreed on the potential in the squad, saying the future was bright, but laid down the standards that those players must live by every day if they are to make good on their promise.
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"It's good. The feeling is good but always don't forget that you feel you are there and then in a few hours you are in the bottom. The most important thing is that trophies are good - how you have to compete, win, experience for Marc [Guehi] and many other players - but don't take it for granted.
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"If you start to believe that you are special, you have just won the FA Cup. We are not special. The moment you think that, you will not be in these places quite often. I think everybody through the years has known exactly how difficult it is just to arrive and then after to win."
Victory at Wembley secured a third FA Cup in ten years for Guardiola and his 20th trophy in total in English football, yet the manager would rather measure his success differently. Saturday was the 24th time he has led out a team at the national stadium during his decade in charge of City, and he puts that as his biggest title.
"We played this game with our fans and itβs nice. Many things can happen but we have always been there. I think the biggest title is to come here 24 times. We can win the Premier League and Champions League, but to play 24 times here is because we were stubborn," he said.
"FA Cups, Carabao Cups, you go to League One and Two you can slip up and that is the biggest compliment we can get as a club. We have done it and we have to continue to try. That is the biggest success, more than all the Premier Leagues. I cannot speak higher about the organisation of the club."