LONDON • Manchester City are on the verge of a historic achievement.
Pep Guardiola knows it, the players know it and the club's fans know it ahead of today's FA Cup final against Watford.
Perhaps that is why the Premier League champions have arranged for their open-top bus parade to take place in Manchester on Monday, when the team are expected to celebrate an unprecedented domestic treble - a feat yet to be achieved by an English club.
At his pre-match press conference yesterday before they travel to Wembley, Guardiola admitted the opportunity "to win four titles in one season will be incredible".
He said: "It's the final, hopefully, we can celebrate not just the Premier League, League Cup and Community Shield, but also the FA Cup.
"If we win tomorrow, the season is extraordinary, if we don't, it's extraordinary.
"We could have lost the Premier League by a point and the effort would have been the same; for one decision, you can win the league or the FA Cup, or not win it. We have to judge on what we've done in the season."
Â
Â
Â
In City's way of another entry in the record books stand Watford, who are into their first Cup final since 1984.
The Hornets have never won a major trophy in their 138-year history, and captain Troy Deeney, their longest-serving player, feels their run to Wembley means he has come full circle.
While the striker, who has been at Vicarage Road since 2010, conceded they were "massive underdogs", he told ESPN that "for me, it's no fear".
Deeney, who spent three months in jail out of a 10-month sentence in 2012 following a conviction for affray, is considered a folk hero at the club, helping them earn promotion to the top flight in 2015 and guiding them to 11th in the league this term.
He said: "I'm hugely proud of the achievement.
"Football isn't going to scare me or is playing against City because of everything I've been through."
The City boss also acknowledged "how difficult it was to play" Watford, although he warned Deeney and his teammates that despite having "won the most incredible Premier League ever, we're back to business to focus".
Guardiola added: "We handled them (Watford) really well, the set pieces, the offensive side. We've spoken about the players, hopefully, we can compete like the FA Cup deserves."
The Spaniard also refuted suggestions that his side's on-pitch success had been in any way undermined by Uefa referring City to an independent judicial chamber earlier in the week for alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, insisting that "we are innocent until proven guilty".
He said: "I know the people are waiting for it to be guilty, but that is where it is... I know exactly what happened, and what they did and I trust a lot."
Asked about the rumours of him replacing Massimiliano Allegri after Juventus announced the coach's departure yesterday, Guardiola claimed he "was not going anywhere".
And on speculation that Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann could move to the Etihad instead of the Nou Camp, he said: "We can't afford him."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
MAN CITY V WATFORD
Singtel TV Ch111, 11.55pm
Pele to have urinary tract surgery in Brazil: hospital AFP April 10, 2019 AFP No Comments Sao Paulo (AFP) - Pele will have an operation to remove a 'ureteral stone,' his doctors said Wednesday, a day after the football great returned to Brazil following treatment in a Paris hospital for an infection.
Pele To Have Urinary Tract Surgery In Brazil Hospital
newsblenda.com/post/football/pele-to-have-urinary-tract-surgery-in-brazil-hospital.html
Pele will have an operation to remove a 'ureteral stone,' his doctors said Wednesday, a day after the football great returned to Brazil following treatment in a Paris hospital for an infection. The 78-year-old was admitted to the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo for more tests after arriving in Brazil early Tuesday.
Pele to have urinary tract surgery in Brazil: hospital
MANCHESTER CITY's England forward Raheem Sterling has been awarded The Integrity and Impact Award at this year's BT Sport Industry Awards for speaking out on a range of social issues, including racism. Sterling was recognised for his fight against racism in the sport and for using his platform to call for more action to be taken.
Sterling honoured with award for fighting racism - CNA
Too many missed chances did in Cincinnati this time in a 5-3 loss to the Giants, and the Reds settled for a split of their traditional doubleheader Tuesday night in which they wore their home
Missed chances leave Reds feeling empty | MLB.com
Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud has warned Maurizio Sarri he must be given a more important role next season if the Blues boss wants him to stay at Stamford Bridge.
"At times we played really good football but it can, and it must be, a lot better on Sunday," said Van Dijk. "There were times where we did not put enough pressure on them and were sloppy and lost the ball. "Against Germany we can expect a completely different game and we all realise that. We know what we are capable of."
Soccer: Dutch not favourites against struggling Germany - Van
SINGAPORE - Former Football Association of Singapore (FAS) general secretary Winston Lee withdrew his candidacy for one of nine seats on the executive committee members of the Asian Football
Football: Ex-FAS general secretary Winston Lee withdraws
Fantasy Football Interview; A league winner on a mission… When one focuses on the country of Norway, they immediately may think of the beautiful fjords, or maybe the Midnight Sun, Christmas trees, trolls or Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Page 4 - Top 5 footballers of 2018 - sportskeeda.com
Football: Playing the OLE United way LONDON • With big names like Mauricio Pochettino and Zinedine Zidane being bandied about, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's appointment as Manchester United manager has largely been seen as a stop-gap measure until the summer.
Playing the OLE United way - theworldnews.net
The former Blues and Manchester United boss is looking to get back into management, but Frank Leboeuf says he has becoming a fading force Jose Mourinho "has done his time", says Frank Leboeuf, with the Portuguese failing to move with the times as he left his most recent role at Manchester … Read More »
Live Commentary: Liverpool 3-1 Manchester United - as it
(Reuters) - Liverpool opened up a seven point gap at the top of the Premier League after a narrow 1-0 win at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, while Arsenal's poor away form continued with a 1-0 defeat at West Ham United.
West Ham: Latest News, Photos, Videos on West Ham - ndtv.com
Benzema saves Real Madrid blushes with late Huesca winner Karim Benzema stopped Real Madrid's underwhelming La Liga season going from bad to worse on Sunday after firing a last-minute winner
Benzema saves Real Madrid blushes with late Huesca winner
We do it our way, says Klopp after another late Liverpool win
Football: Chelsea target Pulisic not for sale in January, say
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen