FA Cup win would ‘minimise the damage’ after disappointing season for Manchester City, says Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola is hoping Manchester City can minimise the damage from their underwhelming season by winning the FA Cup and declared his side would be better next year.
City have failed to land a fifth successive Premier League title and instead find themselves in the scrap for Champions League qualification.
Salvation could come in the form of the cup in which City face Nottingham Forest in the second semi-final on Sunday, 24 hours after Aston Villa take on Crystal Palace.
And while it would not heal all the scars from a draining campaign, Guardiola says it would certainly help their road to recovery.
He said: “The season hasn’t been good, regardless of reaching the FA Cup final or going to the Champions League. But of course we’d avoid bigger damage for the club.
“From my point of view, what dictates whether the season has been good is the Premier League, all the time. Because it gives you week by week, happiness, momentum, and after FA Cups, Champions League – the keeper saves, not saves, penalty miss, not miss makes the difference. But the Premier League dictates how your season has been, and ours has not been good.
“But it could be worse, right? It could not be fifth, fourth, third like now, it could be even worse. We’re in a position in our hands, we have this incredible opportunity to be three FA Cup finals in a row, and after we have a few days to play against Wolves. Hopefully we can do it.”
Up next: A trip to Wembley 💪🩵
🤝 #AsahiSuperDry pic.twitter.com/RR39fJVAuA
— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 24, 2025
We will be back – Pep
He added: “Next season will be better. I think everyone learned the lesson, and next season we will compete in the Premier League a little better than this season.
“I’m not saying we’re going to win the Premier League, arriving in the last stages of the Champions League, FA Cup or Carabao Cup, because we won’t have holidays and I don’t know how we’ll react, but I think the players even realise what they have to do to be decent.
“I know the players and the club and we will be back.”
FA Cup win would be a nice way for De Bruyne to depart – Pep
Winning the FA Cup would be a nice way for Kevin De Bruyne to sign off from City with reports this morning suggesting the Belgian would reject the chance to stay on for the FIFA Club World Cup in June.
“Of course, it would be,” said Guardiola. “He has proved the amount of minutes he’s played since the announcement that he’s the last month here in Manchester City, the commitment he’s playing with, yeah it would be good.”
Guardiola did not rule out the prospect of Rodri and Erling Haaland returning for the FA Cup final, should City get there, but dismissed the prospect of goalkeeper Ederson playing against Forest.
He said: “Eddy is coming back and training a little, but I don’t know if he will be ready for this game. Hopefully for the next one.”
PEP 💬 (On Ederson’s fitness) We’ll see. [He] is coming back training a little bit. But I don’t know if he’ll be ready for this game, hopefully the next one. pic.twitter.com/e3AA6NIjjU
— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 25, 2025
Guardiola not underestimating Forest
City will aim to reach a third successive FA Cup final but Guardiola knows it will not be straightforward against a Forest side that have surpassed expectations this season.
“We have a serious and tough, tough rival,” he said. “The Nottingham Forest people and fans, it is a long time since they have played the semi-final of the FA Cup, but for many years we have been there in the competition.
“He [boss Nuno Espirito Santo] has been incredible, qualifying for the Europa League with Wolves and now with Nottingham Forest. He has done a really good job.
“The guys have good skills, and I admire that they defend well and have a good spirit. They have the transition with top, top players up front. The owner invests with top, top players. The results are here.”
