Pep Guardiola has spoken about Manchester City’s remarkable record in domestic cups, as his side prepare to defend their FA Cup.
City’s main objectives this season will be to defend the Premier League title and retain the Champions League, but Guardiola highlighted his brilliant record in domestic cups ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup third round match against Huddersfield. . Under the Catalan coach, City reached six FA Cup semi-finals in seven years, lifting the trophy twice, and won four consecutive Carabao Cups between 2018 and 2021. Last season’s final was particularly special, since City beat their great rival Manchester United.
“We have to do what we have to do in every game, we can win or lose, but the importance of consistency, these guys have proven that for many years. It’s of course a question of respect. We don’t We can’t win four Carabao Cups in a row if we don’t take every game seriously, that’s impossible. No team has done it, four times in a row in modern football with incredible rivals, that means we We were there all the time. It’s the same for the FA Cup, it’s very, very important.
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Guardiola has previously suggested reducing the number of domestic cup matches by scrapping FA Cup replays and making League Cup semi-finals one game instead of two, but he insisted made his team fully respect the competition. “You won’t find anyone in this club and in this dressing room who doesn’t love him,” he added. “The FA Cup is the FA Cup. Even for me, not born in this country, when I was abroad I know how special this competition is.
Under Guardiola, City have only lost once before reaching the FA Cup semi-finals, when they were knocked out in the fifth round in 2018 by then-League One side Wigan Athletic.
After facing Huddersfield, City will play Newcastle away on January 13 and then plan to travel to Abu Dhabi for training in warm weather. However, the camp will be canceled if the match against Huddersfield ends in a draw and the players are forced to play again.
2024-01-07 21:04:23
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