Manchester City will face Chelsea in the FA Cup final, looking to build on their League Cup success and chase the EPL title.
Published May 15, 2026
Manager Josep Guardiola insisted Manchester City had a successful season, regardless of whether they won the Premier League title or Saturday’s FA Cup final against Chelsea.
Guardiola’s side will put their bid to catch up with Premier League leaders Arsenal on hold as they head to Wembley hoping to reach a fourth successive FA Cup final.
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City start every season with the Premier League and Champions League as their main targets, but have fallen short in both.
City, who were eliminated in the last 16 of the Champions League by Real Madrid in March, will move five points behind Arsenal if the Gunners beat relegated Burnley at home on Monday.
Guardiola’s side can restore that gap to two points with a win over Bournemouth in their penultimate game of the season on Tuesday.
However, Arsenal can secure their first English title since 2004 if they win against Crystal Palace on May 24.
City, who have already beaten Arsenal to win the League Cup, have a chance of winning a domestic double this weekend.
But Guardiola is adamant that this campaign has been a positive one, no matter what happens at Wembley and in the title race.
“It depends on the trophy you lift. Sometimes you lift a trophy and you have a successful season,” Guardiola said, but when asked if Rodri was suitable to start in midfield, he said: “We’ll see.”
“Despite the lifts at times, the season was actually really, really bad.
“I said a few weeks ago that this season has been good. It’s been really, really good.”
After starting Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki and Jeremy Doku on the bench against Crystal Palace on Wednesday, Guardiola is likely to field a full squad against Chelsea rather than prioritizing the title race.
“This is the FA Cup final. The message is that there are two prestigious clubs at Wembley for the FA Cup final. Our fans make an incredible effort to come to London and it doesn’t come cheap.”
“We’re going to try to perform as best we can to win. That’s always the game plan.”
City have lost their last two FA Cup finals to Crystal Palace, who they defeated in the 2023 marquee fixture, and Manchester United.
Guardiola said: “Of course I’m excited. I hope we can do better than the last two times.”
“Wembley is still a special place. Everything is so great. The pitch is extraordinary. We are desperate to perform well.”
Ahead of his 24th trip to Wembley with City, Guardiola joked that he was “very disappointed” that the home of English football does not have a stand named after him.
“I’ve been there many times, at least to the lounge or the box or something like that. I might have to go 24 more times,” he said.
Guardiola has one year left on his contract with City but has yet to sign a new contract amid speculation he will end his 10-year spell at the Etihad Stadium at the end of this season.
Asked about reports that City’s fitness coach Lorenzo Buenaventura and goalkeeping coach Xavi Mansisidor were set to leave the club, Guardiola grinned and replied: “I have extended my contract with them for three more years,” before adding: “That’s not true.”
