Man City are currently preparing to take on Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final on Saturday.
The 2024/25 campaign has been a tough one for Pep Guardiola’s squad as they continue to fight for a place in next season’s Champions League, and should they achieve this, in addition to winning the FA Cup and the Club World Cup, some may view the season as having been salvaged.
Oliver Glasner’s team arrive at the Wembley showpiece in great form, and Jamie Carragher believes Crystal Palace will win the FA Cup with a 2-1 win over Man City.
Sam Allardyce believes Man City have an advantage over Crystal Palace heading into the FA Cup final, as the former Premier League boss thinks the Manchester club’s experience in big games could get them over the line.
The Manchester club have many reasons for wanting to bring the cup back to Manchester, but Mateo Kovacic has shared why it will be an emotional final for him and one of his Man City teammates.
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
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Mateo Kovacic wants to win the FA Cup for Kevin De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne will leave Man City when his contract expires at the end of the season, which brings his 10-year stay at the Etihad Stadium to an end.
The FA Cup may be the last chance the Belgian gets to lift a trophy, as it is uncertain if the Man City captain will play at the FIFA Club World Cup.
As a result, Kovacic and his City teammates are eager to win the trophy for their captain and has admitted that Saturday will be emotional for the Belgian star and also for himself.
“For him, it will be emotional and not an easy game for him,” Kovacic said about De Bruyne to ManCity.com.
Photo by Molly Darlington/Copa/Getty Images
Photo by Molly Darlington/Copa/Getty Images
“He has been here so many years, and it’s never easy when you have to change and leave. The whole team only has one thought, and that’s to try and get the trophy and to make the day special for Kevin.
“For what he’s done, he deserves to leave like a champion, which he obviously is. He represents the club among the best players in the club’s and the Premier League’s history. He is a massive figure in City’s success, and he will be remembered as one of the best.”
Man City will be confident heading into the FA Cup final on Saturday, as Wembley is a stage where Guardiola has a very strong record.
Pep Guardiola’s record at Wembley
Since the arrival of Guardiola in 2016, Man City are the club that have played at Wembley the most out of any in England, with the Manchester club visiting the home of English football an impressive 20 times.
The legendary coach has lifted nine trophies at Wembley as Man City manager, which includes four League Cups, three Community Shields and two FA Cups.
The Spanish coach’s record consists of 13 wins and seven defeats, and should he win the FA Cup on Saturday, Guardiola will become just the second manager to win both domestic English cups at least three times, with only Sir Alex Ferguson doing so previously.
Saturday’s FA Cup final is huge for everyone involved, and for the neutral, the two teams are likely to serve up a treat, going off their previous encounters this season.