Pep Guardiola said the “future is bright” at Manchester City and that he feels “stability in the team” after he won his 20th trophy at the club with a 1-0 win over Chelsea in the FA Cup final.
City kept alive their hopes of winning a domestic treble as Antoine Semenyo’s sensational second-half finish broke Chelsea’s resolve.
On his 24th appearance at Wembley since arriving at City, this latest victory secured Guardiola his third FA Cup crown title, in his fourth successive final.
There has been speculation all season that Guardiola could stand down as City manager this summer after a decade in charge.
The Spaniard has repeatedly pointed out he still has another year remaining on his contract, but he has also stopped short of explicitly committing himself beyond this season.
He has also told Sky Sports in recent days that he loves his job and still has an “incredible energy” for the challenge.
Speaking after the 1-0 win at Wembley, Guardiola said: “I took time to click something, I missed something during the process.
“I made a lot of different shapes and pressing. This player with the other player.
John Stones and Bernardo Silva lift the FA Cup following Man City’s 1-0 win against Chelsea
“We had the feeling in the last two months, I felt a stability in the team like I didn’t find maybe in the past. But it’s normal because a lot of new players, injured players and sometimes you need a little bit more time. But the highest competitions don’t wait.
“But top eight in the Champions League, we found one of the toughest opponents. Real Madrid is always a really, really difficult opponent. But the rest of the competitions we have behaved extraordinarily.
“The future is bright. I know the guys, I know how they feel, the commitment for the club, very professional. I’m pretty sure we’ll be there in the next years.”
If this is to be Guardiola’s final season in charge, he will bow out with at least two trophies following the Carabao Cup win here in March. City’s attentions now turn to the Premier League title race and Bournemouth away on Tuesday, live on Sky Sports.
Tuesday 19th May 7:00pm
Kick off 7:30pm
Pep is right – this could just be the start for the new Man City
Analysis from Sky Sports’ Lewis Jones at Wembley:
There was a telling moment in the immediate aftermath of City’s FA Cup triumph over Chelsea. Amid the euphoria, Guardiola’s message was not about adding another piece of silverware; it was about the future.
There was a hint of Guardiola speaking with the conviction of a manager who senses the wheel turning again. The start of the next City cycle, perhaps.
For the last 18 months, at times there has been an eagerness from the outside to frame City as on the decline. Rivals finally catching up. Yet, two wins at Wembley this season have felt less like the end of an era and more like the launch of another one.
This could be Manchester City refreshed and re-energised.
Guardiola has not ripped everything up. Instead, he has carefully injected pace, power, youth and unpredictability into a squad that had perhaps become too comfortable.
Marc Guehi was the embodiment of that evolution in the final. He played like a defender completely at home on these occasions.
Bournemouth vs Man City, Tuesday 8pm, live on Sky Sports
Then there was Antoine Semenyo – the second of the January signings. Wembley finals are remembered for moments. Semenyo delivered one that will be replayed for decades. The winning goal was extraordinary not merely because of its technical execution but because of the audacity behind it.
Perhaps the biggest criticism levelled at City in recent years has been that they occasionally became too mechanical in the biggest moments. Too predictable. Too obsessed with control.
Semenyo adds something a little bit different – as does summer signing Rayan Cherki, who looks like one of the smartest acquisitions City have made in years. What makes Cherki especially dangerous in this environment is that Guardiola appears willing to trust his improvisation. He made a big difference from the bench in the second half.
Then there is a bit of youth underpinning everything.
Nico O’Reilly’s emergence has added energy and personality to midfield areas while Abdukodir Khusanov looks like the type of modern defender Guardiola adores, quick across the ground, aggressive in duels and brave enough to defend huge spaces one-against-one.
The balance of this squad suddenly looks frighteningly healthy.
Bernardo: Pep changed the way I see football
Bernardo Silva lifts the FA Cup
Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva speaking to BBC Sport:
“He [Pep Guardiola] changed the way I see football. 80 per cent of my career was with him as my manager. All the things I hoped to achieve were with him. The relationship we have got is very strong with the frustrations and the achievements.
“I care a lot about Man City. That’s his decision [on whether he wants to leave]. It is not for me to comment on that. I wish all the best. I enjoy being with him having shared all these moments together.”
