Man City’s FA Cup triumph shows the rewards of patience under Guardiola

[LONDON] Pep Guardiola’s 15th major title as Manchester City coach, delivered with Saturday’s (May 16) 1-0 FA Cup win over Chelsea, underscores the virtue of long-term stability at the club that the defeated Londoners can only dream of emulating.

Guardiola has now won the FA Cup three times since arriving in Manchester 10 years ago on top of six Premier League titles, five League Cups and one Champions League trophy.

Although the former Barcelona great’s days at City might be coming to an end, the Spaniard could add to that glittering array of silverware this month if Premier League leaders Arsenal stumble in the last two games of the season.

City’s players were quick to heap praise on 55-year-old Guardiola – the longest-serving current Premier League manager with the same club – after Saturday’s win.

The game was settled by a deft, back-heeled goal from City’s Ghana international forward Antoine Semenyo in the 72nd minute after a cross by Erling Haaland.

Captain Bernardo Silva, who is due to leave City at the end of the season, said he owed the Catalan coach a lot of the credit for the success of his career.

“He changed the way I see football. Eighty per cent of my career was with him as my manager,” the Portugal playmaker said. “All the things I hoped to achieve were with him.”

Defender John Stones, who is also leaving City this month, said the standards set by Guardiola were unique among coaches.

“That winning mentality is nothing like I’ve ever seen,” England defender Stones told TNT television.

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City’s patience pays off

Guardiola himself pointed to the patience of City’s top officials in sticking with him during leaner periods, which contrasted with quick decisions by other clubs to fire their managers after a dip in form.

“One of the biggest successes is the stability above me,” he told reporters. “Without that you don’t have this success. It’s impossible.”

British media have speculated that Guardiola might leave City at the end of this season, although he has said he still has a year left to run on his contract.

Asked on Saturday by TNT about the rumours of an early departure, he said: “What rumours?“ and put down his microphone.

Guardiola’s trophy-laden decade at City stands in stark contrast to the situation at Chelsea, who parted ways with coaches Enzo Maresca in January and – after barely three months in the job – Liam Rosenior in April.

The private equity-led owners of the Blues have now fired five managers since they bought the club in 2022 and are aiming to appoint a new coach for the start of next season.

Sky Sports reported on Saturday that Chelsea have agreed a four-year deal with former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso to become the Premier League club’s head coach. The Spaniard won a league and cup double with Leverkusen in his first season as a coach in 2023-24 but was sacked by Real Madrid after less than eight months in January.

Interim coach Calum McFarlane now faces the task of lifting Chelsea for Tuesday’s visit of relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and a final-day trip to Sunderland with the Blues sitting ninth in the table outside qualification for any kind of European competition next season.

McFarlane said Chelsea should have been awarded a penalty against City when Jorrel Hato was bundled over by Abdukodir Khusanov in the second half at Wembley and 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,” he told reporters. “I felt we went toe to toe with one of the best teams in the world.” REUTERS