Finn Azaz News

Pep Guardiola refuses to discuss Man City question after historic FA Cup achievement

Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola refused to discuss the prospect of his team completing a domestic Treble after they beat Southampton 2-1 in the FA Cup semi-finals. Finn Azaz gave the Saints a shock lead on 79 minutes to put the Championship club on the brink of the final. However, Jeremy Doku's deflected effort levelled things three minutes later before Nico Gonzalez's thunderous strike on 87 minutes completed the turnaround. Having beaten Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final last month, City are already a third of the way to the Treble. The Blues dropped to second in the Premier League table after Arsenal's 1-0 win over Newcastle but City have a game in hand and will go top if they win it. City created history by reaching a fourth consecutive FA Cup final on Saturday but despite further glory in touching distance, Guardiola refused to entertain it. Click here to find out the latest Manchester City news in our daily newsletter "Nah too much, far away," he said when asked about the Treble. "Let me, before the final and the Aston Villa game, I will tell you there is a chance. Now, it is far, far away. "It is important that we now have two days off for the players and I told them not to think about football. Rest and then we start a season for five games, plus a final in the FA Cup. We are back to second [in the Premier League] so we will see how we arrive." "Six games if we win, we are there, if we lose, it is over," Guardiola added. "I find people say how many Champions Leagues but what defines a club is winning five Carabaos and playing four finals in the FA Cup . That defines you. "We are in the final again, we have time to prepare. Rest because mentally and physically it has been a tough, tough week a lot of emotions and then go for these last five games." City return to action a week on Monday when they visit Everton in the Premier League.

2026-04-26

Pep Guardiola says title race means Manchester City must prepare for ‘six cup finals’

Pep Guardiola praised his players and targeted “six cup finals” after Nico González’s 87th-minute winner knocked out Southampton and sent Manchester City to an unprecedented fourth successive FA Cup final. Tonda Eckert’s team were heading for a shock victory via Finn Azaz’s 79th-minute strike. But just three minutes later the substitute Jérémy Doku equalised before González’s long-range winner. Guardiola said: “The team in the second half was really exceptional. The amount of chance, chance, chance after chance we created. We didn’t concede much in the second half.” The manager was impressed with Azaz’s goal, which came after he turned and scored from 25 yards. “We are not clinical enough, and then they scored the first,” he said. “What a goal. Football is unpredictable, that’s why sometimes it’s: ‘Oh my God.’ How many times like in the second half did Southampton cross halfway?” City, who will play the winner of Sunday’s other semi-final between Chelsea and Leeds in the final on 16 May, will next focus on the Premier League. After Arsenal’s win over Newcastle on Saturday, City are second, three points behind the north London team, and by the time they play at Everton a week on Monday they could trail by six, having played two games fewer. The trip to Everton is the first of City’s last five games. “Now six cup finals,” said Guardiola including that of the FA Cup. “Six games, every game we win in the league, we’ll be there – if we lose, it’s over and of course we have the other one – the Cup final. “We are in the Cup final again, we have time to prepare with our fans. Now it’s easy, so rest and mentally, physically, because it has been a tough, week, a lot of emotions and go for these five games.” Eckert was disappointed, though, he targeted Tuesday’s penultimate Championship match against second-placed Ipswich; victory would take his side to 79 points, one behind their opponents. “We controlled most moments very well – it doesn’t happen too often that you lose a game against City from two goals outside the box,” he said. “We need to put this performance to bed because the real test of maturity comes on Tuesday. “We go again against Ipswich – we are ready to suffer. Every game is different. Some games we need to win with possession, some on transition. We showed we can play different kind of games – our dedication is clear. Today gives us extra fuel to make sure we finish the season strong.”

2026-04-25