Manager Josep Guardiola has once again appealed to the Football League after Manchester City beat Salford City 2-0 on Saturday to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Josep Guardiola is frustrated that Marc Guehi will not be able to play in the Carabao Cup final (Image: AFP/Getty Images)
Manager Josep Guardiola has appealed to the Football League to use “common sense” and allow Marc Guehi to play for Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final. After beating Newcastle in the semi-finals, City will face Arsenal in the first final of the 2025/26 season on March 22, but they are currently set to do so without a January deal.
Guehi came off the bench and was able to score in City’s 2-0 win over Salford City in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday. The £20m signing from Crystal Palace has been able to feature this season despite playing in the same competition for his old club.
The FA Cup has changed its rules this season to allow players to play for multiple clubs in the same campaign. However, the rules are not the same in the Carabao Cup.
Antoine Semenyo will be available to play for City in next month’s final against Arsenal, but Gehi is currently ineligible. This is because Semenyo’s transfer from Bournemouth was completed before the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Newcastle, but Gehi’s transfer was not completed.
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Guehi is currently unable to play against Arsenal at Wembley due to time constraints, with the player needing to be available for his second club by the first leg of the semi-final. City have petitioned the Football League to make an exception for Guehi, and Guardiola reiterated that point after the win over Salford.
“For example, he cannot play in the Carabao Cup final,” the City manager told the BBC when talking about Guehi. “Why can he play here and why can’t he play in other games? Common sense doesn’t make sense, but it’s OK.”
Guehi came on from the bench for John Stones in the second half and scored his first goal for the club against a tough challenge from Salford in League Two, securing their place.
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Marc Guehi scores Manchester City’s 2-0 win over Salford (Image: Annabel Lee-Ellis/Getty Images)
“That (Guehi goal) was better,” Guardiola said. “It’s been a very tough three weeks with a lot of games. It’s very demanding. Today was my last game so I’m taking a little break right now.”
Guardiola has doubts about the rules against Guehi. Previously speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “Hopefully in March the players can arrive fit and I hope Marc Guehi can be convinced in the Carabao Cup that he can play in the final. Because it’s difficult to understand that a club that has invested a lot of money would pay one player for us and I don’t understand why he can’t play in the final.”
“So I wrote a letter and hope the Carabao Cup side understands. He can’t play with rules that I don’t understand why. Hopefully they can change it.”
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