A triad that only one English team achieved is Manchester City's big goal this season. The team that has Julian Alvarez has already secured the Premier League title and next weekend will fight for the Champions League with Inter in Istanbul. Before that, he will try to keep the FA Cup. But it will not be an easy mission: he must measure forces in the final with Manchester United, which will feature Alejandro Garnacho, this Saturday at Wembley (by ESPN).
While much of the focus is on Saturday, June 10 against Inter, in which City will try to keep a title they never won, the definition of the FA Cup is not a minor commitment. It will also have as an extra seasoning that it will be in an unprecedented derby: for the first time in 190 clashes between the two, the two Manchester clubs will meet in a final of the oldest competition on the planet, which already has 142 editions.
The cast led by Josep Guardiola arrived at this instance after leaving Chelsea, Arsenal, Bristol City, Burnley and Sheffield United on the road. In those five games, he scored 17 goals and did not receive any. The last time a team had reached a final without conceding a goal was in the 1965/66 season, when Everton did it (then beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-2 in the decisive match). The last ensemble to be consecrated with its clean bow was Bury in 1903.
Sheffield United were the last of five opponents Manchester City eliminated to reach the FA Cup final. Photo: David Cliff/AP.
In their 12th final, City will be looking for their seventh title in a competition they won in 1904, 1934, 1956, 1969, 2011 and 2019. If he succeeds, the recent Premier League winner will be one step away from a treble that, among English clubs, was only achieved by Manchester United in 1999. The last step to climb would be the Champions League final.
However, Guardiola does not lose his cool. "I will not think about the treble until I arrive in Istanbul with two titles in my pocket," warned the Catalan coach, who on Saturday will try to keep the 34th title of his career as a coach and the 13th in seven years at City.
Manchester City's German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan lifts the trophy as Manchester City players celebrate winning the title at the presentation ceremony following the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on May 21, 2023. Manchester City won the Premier League for the fifth time in six seasons on Saturday, taking a first step to a possible golden treble of trophies as second-placed Arsenal lost 1-0 at Nottingham Forest. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. Do not use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /
Still far from the numbers of his coach, Julián Álvarez is also facing a huge possibility for a footballer of just 23 years. The Calchin-born striker lifted the World Cup in Qatar in December, celebrated winning the Premier League two weeks ago and now has two more finals ahead of him. All this in his first European season, in which he already played 49 games and scored 17 goals with the City shirt.
The first strong chance to thwart the treble of the Citizens will have United, the team that will try to preserve that privilege among the British having won the three crowns in the same year. Although that's not the main motivation for Erik ten Hag. "It's not about stopping them. It's about us winning a cup. We have a great opportunity and we have fought hard for it," warned the Dutch coach.
Alejandro Garnacho has already recovered from a right ankle injury that kept him inactive for two months and will be available for the final against Manchester City. Photo: Ash Allen / EFE / EPA.
United finished third in the Premier League thanks to a four-game final run and thus secured a place in the next edition of the Champions League. They will now be looking for their second trophy this season following their League Cup win in February (they beat Newcastle 2-0 in the final), which ended a six-year drought without crowns.
On their way to this decisive duel, the Red Devils left Everton, Reading, West Ham United, Fulham and Brighton & Hove Albion in the ditch. In their 21st final, they will try to claim their 13th FA Cup title, a tournament in which only Arsenal (14) won more times.
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