Pep Guardiola will be in the dugout for Manchester City’s FA Cup final against Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday, and he says the occasion is about the trophy in front of him, not any farewell script. The City manager is set for his 24th appearance at Wembley and is chasing what would be his 20th major trophy since the start of a decade of dominance at the club.
Guardiola pushed back on talk that the final could mark an exit, saying he still has one year left on his contract. He also described Wembley as a place that carries special meaning for him, because of important matches he has played there with City and with Barcelona. Asked about the milestone, he framed the final simply as another chance to keep winning, saying in effect that he wants to fight for the 20th.
The numbers underline how far City have come under Guardiola. They became the first team to reach four consecutive FA Cup finals, and they already lifted the EFL Cup this season. Saturday now offers the chance to add another piece of silverware and move one step closer to a domestic double in England.
There is, though, one late concern that could shape the match. Rodri must pass a last-minute fitness test before the final, with the midfielder regarded as central to City’s balance and control of tempo. If he is ruled out or limited, Guardiola loses one of the players most closely tied to the way his side dictates games.
That makes this final feel less like a ceremonial stop on the calendar and more like another test of whether City’s grip on English football can hold. Guardiola has been linked in rumor to a summer departure, but he has rejected that reading of the week ahead. For now, the story remains at Wembley: one manager, one final, and one more chance to add to a record that already defines an era.
