Pep Guardiola fuming over Carabao Cup rule change as star banned vs Arsenal | Football | Sport
Pep Guardiola was left seething after Marc Guehi was declared unavailable for Manchester City‘s Carabao Cup final showdown with Arsenal. City will face off against the Gunners at Wembley Stadium this Sunday, as both teams vie for the season’s first available trophy. The match promises to be a thrilling encounter given that the two clubs are also embroiled in a Premier League title race this term, which Arsenal currently lead by nine points.
Guardiola’s squad must also deal with the mental setback of their midweek Champions League exit following a devastating last-16 loss to Real Madrid, whilst Mikel Arteta‘s team advanced to the quarter-finals. Guardiola might also believe his side are entering the cup final at a disadvantage as EFL regulations prohibit central defender Marc Guehi from participating against the north Londoners in the 4.30pm match.
Guehi was transferred from Crystal Palace in January, after he had already played against Arsenal for the Eagles in the quarter-finals of the same tournament back in December.
Carabao Cup rules, introduced for the first time this campaign, stipulate that if a player is signed after the first leg of the semi-final, he is ineligible to participate in the remainder of the competition.
Guardiola, who famously claimed the competition a record four years in a row, raised concerns about the rule back in February. Speaking after City had secured their place in the final, the manager said he could not “understand” it and that he hoped City would write to the EFL to appeal for his £20million defender to be available to face Arsenal.
He said: “Hopefully in March, we can arrive with the players fit and hopefully you can convince the Carabao Cup that Marc Guehi can play in the final. Because it’s difficult to understand that the club who make a big investment to pay one player who belongs to us and I don’t understand why he cannot play the final.
“So, hopefully we write a letter, and hopefully the Carabao Cup can understand. He’s not able to play for a rule that I don’t understand why. Hopefully, they can change it.”
City’s appeals, however, were ultimately rejected, meaning Guardiola will have to rely on his alternatives. With Josko Gvardiol injured, Guardiola still has Ruben Dias, John Stones, Nathan Ake and Abdukodir Khusanov at his disposal.
He last claimed the trophy in 2021, whilst Arsenal’s most recent triumph in this competition came back in 1993. Arteta will hope to secure his second piece of silverware since taking charge of the Gunners, having won the FA Cup in his first season.
