On May 16 at Wembley, Manchester City lifted the FA Cup for the eighth time in the club’s history. Final score: 1-0, the only goal from Antoine Semenyo in the 71st minute. For Guardiola, it is the 20th major trophy in English football. For City fans, bittersweet — Pep is leaving at the end of the season, and the market is already pricing in who comes next.
Match Report: How City Broke Chelsea’s Defensive Wall
Chelsea set up with a compact back five and effectively suffocated City in the first half — Guardiola’s side recycled possession horizontally with almost no penetration. Robert Sánchez barely touched the ball.
The breakthrough came on 71 minutes. Bernardo Silva played Erling Haaland into a channel down the right — Haaland looked up and cut the ball back toward Semenyo, who was tightly tracked by Levi Colwill. Semenyo let the ball pass between his legs, hooked his right foot behind him and flicked a finish into the far corner past Sánchez’s full stretch. A moment of pure improvisational brilliance — arguably the goal of the season.
Key Stats and Records
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Score | Chelsea 0–1 Manchester City |
| Goal | Antoine Semenyo, 71′ |
| Venue | Wembley Stadium, London |
| Date | May 16, 2026 |
| City’s FA Cup titles | 8 (level with Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham) |
| Guardiola’s trophies in England | 20 |
| Consecutive FA Cup finals | 4 (first team in history) |
| Consecutive FA Cup semi-finals | 8 (tournament record) |
| Domestic cup doubles (League Cup + FA Cup) | 2 in City’s history (also 2018/19) |
Only Arsenal and Manchester United have won more FA Cups than City. The Wembley win also secured a domestic cup double — City had already lifted the Carabao Cup in February. It’s only the sixth time in English football history a club has won both domestic cups in the same season.
Guardiola’s Exit: 10 Years, 20 Trophies
Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City at the end of the 2025/26 season, ending a decade-long tenure at the Etihad. Over that period the club won:
- 6 Premier League titles
- 3 FA Cups (2019, 2023, 2026)
- 1 UEFA Champions League (2023)
- 4 League Cups
- Several other honours — 20 trophies in England total
Guardiola’s departure is the biggest event in English club management since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement. The next manager market is already live.
Who Replaces Guardiola: Betting Odds on the Next City Manager
| Candidate | Odds | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Enzo Maresca | 1.25–1.33 | Former Guardiola assistant; deal reportedly already agreed |
| Vincent Kompany | 6.00–8.00 | City legend; odds shortened sharply after Bayern Munich success |
| Luis Enrique | 8.00–10.00 | PSG manager, positional football specialist |
Maresca is the heavy favourite. At 1.25–1.33, there is almost no betting value there. If you want action on this market, look at Kompany or a longer-odds dark horse.
What Guardiola’s Exit Means for Betting on City in 2026/27
Manchester City in 2026/27 will be a fundamentally different proposition — the market knows it. The club is already quoted at extended odds for next season’s Premier League title. Historical precedent after iconic long-term managers suggests a transitional period of one to two seasons. United after Ferguson needed over a decade; City’s base — squad depth, academy, finances — is stronger.
For sports betting, this creates an interesting window: if bookmakers overestimate the transition effect and post long odds on City at the start of the 2026/27 PL season, that could represent a value position worth watching.
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