Henry Winter: Pep's passion has only added to lustre of the FA Cup | OneFootball

Henry Winter says City and Pep Guardiola’s abiding passion for the FA Cup has only helped further reinforce the stature and pull of the competition ahead of Saturday’s 2025 final against Crystal Palace.

City will lock horns with the Eagles at Wembley on Saturday afternoon seeking to record what would be the Club’s eighth FA Cup triumph overall while Oliver Glasner’s side are out to secure Palace’s first major trophy.

Saturday’s clash will mark City’s third successive FA Cup final appearance following our two clashes against Manchester United in 2023 and 2024.

Under Guardiola’s tutelage, City have also now reached seven successive FA Cup semi-finals, creating another record for the competition.

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The Club also lifted the famous trophy in 2019 with Pep having referenced his lifelong passion for the FA Cup on numerous occasions.

From his perspective as one of the most widely admired commentators on the game in England, Winter believes Guardiola’s insatiable hunger for the FA Cup has only helped provide added stature to what is the world’s oldest and most prestigious domestic cup competition

“Pep has such a huge respect for the FA Cup,” the former chief football correspondent of The Times and Daily Telegraph declared.

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“He always goes strong in the FA Cup and it’s one of the many reasons Pep is so hugely admired amongst the English coaching community.

“I really like that – he could have gone: ‘I’m Pep Guardiola and I’m going to focus just on the Premier League and Champions League.’

“But he knows how important Wembley is for the Club and the supporters and he also knows the sacrifices the fans make in terms of getting there and navigating the kick-off times.

“It shows there is a real conscience to him as a human being as well as being a football genius.

“So, I really admire him for going strong in the FA Cup.

“And I am so glad he is staying on at City for another couple of years at least after signing his new contract earlier this season as there is still so much English football and English coaches can learn from him.”

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There will once again be a huge audience for Saturday’s showpiece - both domestically and on a global scale.

With an 90,000 full house in attendance at Wembley itself, the final will also be screened live in the UK on both BBC 1 and ITV with millions set to tune in across the country.

Meanwhile it’s estimated that more than 500 million people worldwide - across almost 200 countries - will also tune in to follow the action.

And for Winter, Guardiola and City’s enduring passion for the FA Cup has been a big factor in the renewed interest and attention that surrounds the competition.

“It’s funny as the FA Cup had a dip a few years ago but you now look at the interest in it, you saw the two semi-finals which were both great games, and then the final which you could probably sell out three or four times,” Winter added.

“It has been brilliant to see, and Pep has been such a huge part of that revival in taking the FA Cup so seriously.

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“Every time he has really gone for it whenever City play in the FA Cup and that sends out such a fantastic message.

“After all, it’s such a great occasion what with the pomp and circumstance, the music, the band, the build-up, the Royal connection… it is huge.

“And even if you have won so many major prizes as Pep and City have done, it’s Wembley and there is something special about it.

“The FA have been doing it since 1872 after all, so they do put on a good day!

“The sun will shine; it will be fantastically well organised both outside and inside Wembley, there will be a great atmosphere and Pep and City will be in their element.

“I’m really looking forward to it.”