Pep Guardiola asks Man City fans to ‘behave properly’ at FA Cup final as thousands travel despite rail strikes
Pep Guardiola has told Manchester City supporters to enjoy their date with football history at Wembley on Saturday – but to be on their best behaviour.
A derby FA Cup final with United has led to logistical problems with tens of thousands of Mancunians heading to the capital on a day of rail strikes. Police have a massive security operation underway and have even “divided” motorway service stations and designated them for either City or United supporters.
Victory for City would leave them just one game – next weekend’s Champions League final against Inter Milan – away from only the second ever treble in English football history. But, while he wants supporters to enjoy a first ever all-Manchester FA Cup final, Guardiola is also calling for calm.
“I will ask our fans, behave properly first, and secondly go there to enjoy an incredible event, like they know,” he said. “The players will give everything to beat Man United. The consequences and the result, who knows it. I don’t know it. Erik ten Hag doesn’t know it.
“Enjoy the moment. Tonight, when the people travel and tomorrow, unfortunately with the train strikes still.
“It’s the best way. It’s a football game, everything can happen. We will do everything to beat United.
“I understand completely for City fans were in the shadow for decades, behind United, playing the first time in the history of the FA Cup a final against them.
“Try to have the best game possible. Have fun, enjoy the right portion of beers before the game and that’s all and enjoy it.”
The fact that the only other team in English football history to achieve the treble was United, in 1999, has simply added spice to the occasion.
And the City manager, who led City to a treble of domestic trophies in 2019, can understand how that might give United an added incentive to win today.
“I didn’t speak with Bruno Fernandes and company to know exactly the reason why it means more to them, the emotional reason,” he said.
“I don’t know but I could understand. It belongs to them. That’s normal. Sport is like that. Records will be broken. That belongs to us. We don’t want anyone else to do it. So its normal, that feeling.
“But it’s a football game, who will be better will win.”
