Published on: April 28, 2025 06:44 (EAT)
Pep Guardiola has admitted that winning the FA Cup will not be enough to salvage Manchester City’s disappointing season, despite his side booking a place in the final on the same day Liverpool ended their reign as Premier League champions.
City secured a 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley, with early and second-half goals from Rico Lewis and Josko Gvardiol. However, moments after the full-time whistle, Liverpool clinched their record-equalling 20th English top-flight title with a 5-1 thrashing of Tottenham.
The result leaves Guardiola’s City, winners of the last four Premier League titles, well adrift in fourth place, 21 points behind Liverpool. Although City are on course to qualify for the Champions League with a top-five finish, Guardiola was blunt when asked if FA Cup success and Champions League qualification would constitute a successful season.
“No, and I have said that many times,” Guardiola stated. “This season has not been good. We are a thousand million points behind Liverpool. Come on, this season has not been good.”
Guardiola also lamented City’s inconsistent form in the Champions League, where he noted the team had underperformed compared to their usual standards. “We cannot confuse that the season has been good if we finish in the top five and qualify for the Champions League,” he added. “The club has to take the decisions, the right ones, for next season to be better.”
Despite reaching a third successive FA Cup final, Guardiola stressed that true success is measured by Premier League dominance and consistent performances. City will face Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final on May 17, having beaten them 5-2 earlier this month, but the Spaniard warned against complacency after Palace’s impressive 3-0 semi-final win over Aston Villa.
“We have four finals to play, and then an unbelievable game against Palace,” Guardiola said. “We saw yesterday how good they are.”
City are just one point ahead of Chelsea and Nottingham Forest in the race for a top-five finish, with both rivals having a game in hand.
