Pep Guardiola has warned his Manchester City players that they are “not special” despite lifting the FA Cup at Wembley on Saturday.
The Blues beat Chelsea to secure their third FA Cup in ten years. It was Guardiola’s 20th trophy in English football. A remarkable achievement by any measure.
But the manager is already looking forward. And he’s not letting anyone get comfortable.
‘Don’t take it for granted’
City captain Bernardo Silva said after the final that the Blues have developed a taste for winning trophies. Guardiola agreed. But then came the warning.
“It’s good. The feeling is good but always don’t forget that you feel you are there and then in a few hours you are in the bottom,” he said.
“The most important thing is that trophies are good, how you have to compete, win, experience for Marc [Guehi] and many other players but don’t take it for granted.
“If you start to believe that you are special, you have just won the FA Cup. We are not special. The moment you think that, you will not be in these places quite often.”
That’s the Guardiola way. Relentless. Demanding. Never satisfied.
‘I think everybody through the years has known exactly how difficult it is just to arrive and then after to win.’
The title that matters most to Guardiola
Saturday was the 24th time Guardiola has led out a team at Wembley during his decade in charge of City. Twenty four times. That, he says, is his biggest title.
“We played this game with our fans and it’s nice. Many things can happen but we have always been there. I think the biggest title is to come here 24 times.”
Think about that. Not the Premier Leagues. Not the Champions League. The consistency. The relentlessness.
“We can win the Premier League and Champions League, but to play 24 times here is because we were stubborn.”
The bigger picture
City are five points behind Arsenal with a game in hand. That’s a lot to make up in a short space of time. But Guardiola is determined to keep pushing.
“FA Cups, Carabao Cups, you go to League One and Two you can slip up and that is the biggest compliment we can get as a club,” he said.
“We have done it and we have to continue to try. That is the biggest success, more than all the Premier Leagues. I cannot speak higher about the organisation of the club.”
The bottom line
Guardiola is already thinking about the next trophy. The next challenge. The next Wembley appearance.
His players have just won the FA Cup. They celebrated. They enjoyed it.
But they’ve been warned: you’re not special. The moment you think you are, you’re done.
That’s the standard. That’s Guardiola. And that’s why City keep winning.
