Football The Emirates FA Cup Premier League

Pep Guardiola: My ‘biggest title’ at Manchester City are trips to Wembley, not winning Premier League or UEFA Champions League

React to this story

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has said that taking his side to Wembley on 24 occasions is bigger than winning the Premier League or UEFA Champions League.

No Filter FA Cup Final: Man City light up Wembley as Semenyo’s moment of magic floors Chelsea

Video credit: TNT Sports

The Spaniard collected his 20th major trophy at the national stadium on Saturday after City edged Chelsea 1-0 in the Emirates FA Cup final on Saturday afternoon, thanks to a stunning Antoine Semenyo winner.

It was the second time that Guardiola had guided his side to domestic cup success this season, after City defeated Arsenal in March to win the Carabao Cup.

Speaking in his post-match press conference, Guardiola underlined the importance of his side's achievements in the domestic competitions since his arrival and claimed that it was a bigger achievement than winning the league or the Champions League.

Premier League

Alonso coy on Chelsea future for 'special' Mudryk ahead of potential return

9 hours ago

”There are minimum standards that we require,” he explained. "We played this game with our fans and it’s nice. In 10 years, many things can happen, but we have always been there.

"I think the biggest title is to come here 24 times. That is the biggest title. Premier League and Champions League, yeah, but when you play 24 times here [at Wembley] is because we were stubborn.

"When you look at my first season here, I didn’t come here because we didn’t win anything so to come here 24 times in nine years is incredible.

"It’s historic, you know. FA Cups and Carabao Cups against teams from League One and Two where you can make a bad action and it’s never happened, not even one day.

"That is the biggest compliment that we can have as a club so in the future, we have to continue. That is the biggest success by far – more than the Premier League where we have six in nine years and we never had it in the Champions League.

"Twenty-four times here with finals and semi-finals, win or lose, but being here, that speaks highly about the organisation and the club."

City could finish the campaign with a domestic treble but need Arsenal to slip up in the title race in their last two matches.

'What rumours?' - Guardiola dodges question as speculation over future mounts

Video credit: TNT Sports

Arsenal can be crowned league champions for the first time since 2004 if they defeat Burnley on Monday and City fail to win at Bournemouth on Tuesday.

Guardiola believes that his men head into the midweek game in better shape following their FA Cup triumph but warned that The Cherries will be difficult to overcome.

”The fatigue will be the same, but the energy will be different," he said. "Going to Bournemouth, [had we lost to Chelsea] would have been more difficult.

"I said, take a shower quick, and we’ll go to the airport. Sunday is recovery, and then we’ll travel to Bournemouth on Monday.

"They are playing for the European competitions, and I don’t know the last time they lost. It’s an incredible team.

Highlights: Sublime Semenyo wins FA Cup for Man City

Video credit: TNT Sports

"How they press is maybe the most energetic in the Premier League. Then we will decide again how we feel in terms of players and how we are going to play.

"We will try to extend [our season]. We will try to win the game and arrive against Aston Villa with a chance.

"On Sunday we smell how the players feel and review how Bournemouth can do, but we’ve played a few times against [Andoni] Iraola.

”It’s not the best opponent to face after a game like [Chelsea], but at the same time, it’s two games [remaining].

”Tuesday and Sunday. Cards on the table, we know exactly what we have to do. We’ll try it.”

- - -

Add TNT Sports as a preferred source here to enjoy more content like this.

Stream the Premier League, men’s and women’s FA Cups, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League and more live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.

Transfers