London: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola stated that his squad would not be permitted to consume even "one beer" despite a 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on Saturday to capture the franchise's eighth FA Cup title.

Antoine Semenyo delivered the decisive moment of the match, producing a spectacular individual effort in the 72nd minute to break through the Chelsea defensive line. The triumph sparked celebrations for Manchester City, who had suffered defeats in the tournament's final match during the previous two seasons against Manchester United and Crystal Palace.

“This trophy is really, really cool, really special for the tradition,” Guardiola remarked following the match. “And after two defeats, back to Manchester is nice.”

When questioned on whether his players would be granted permission to commemorate their Wembley achievement, the Manchester City manager remained strict.

“No, home,” Guardiola responded. “Not even one beer. Next Monday, after Aston Villa, we are going to celebrate it with the women’s team.”

The Pursuit of a Domestic Treble

The victory preserves Manchester City’s mathematical prospects of securing a domestic treble, following their League Cup final triumph over Arsenal in March. The club currently trails Premier League leaders Arsenal by two points with two matches remaining in the league schedule.

The concluding weeks of the title race feature critical fixtures for both contenders:

  • Monday: Arsenal hosts relegated Burnley.
  • Tuesday: Manchester City travels to face an in-form Bournemouth squad.
  • May 24 (Final Matchday): Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal plays Crystal Palace, while Manchester City hosts Aston Villa.

Manchester City administrators have already organised an open-top bus parade for May 25, the day after the Premier League season concludes. The public event is designed to honour the combined achievements of the men’s, women’s, and academy squads. The women’s franchise clinched the Women’s Super League championship earlier this month.

Roster Impact and Tributes

Guardiola expressed high praise for Semenyo, who transferred to the club from Bournemouth during the January window.

“The impact for both him and Marc (Guehi, who joined from Crystal Palace) in the wintertime has been massive,” Guardiola said. “A little bit of a swap, because normally he has to cross to Erling (Haaland), and Erling in that case crossed to him. But he has a sense of goal, good finishing, so yeah, a really good goal.”

The manager also utilised the post-match conference to honour departing veterans John Stones and Bernardo Silva. Stones spent the entirety of the Wembley fixture on the substitute bench, while Silva served as the team captain on the pitch.

“There have been really no words, I said many times, to express the incredible gratitude for on and off the pitch, how they behave, represent this club in the best way possible,” Guardiola said. “Bernardo is a machine, never injured. Played in all the roles and has always been incredibly competitive. Today, he showed it again.”

Guardiola acknowledged the emotional difficulty involved in his roster selection decisions for the final. Looking toward the remaining league schedule, the manager emphasised the team's immediate focus.

“Hopefully, we can extend in Bournemouth the game to arrive at Aston Villa for the last game and win the last game,” Guardiola added. “And make the best tribute possible, with the chance to fight for the Premier League.”

With inputs from AFP