Guardiola has successfully transformed a Manchester City side that sat in turmoil just twelve months ago into a disciplined unit now chasing a historic domestic treble. Following a 2-1 comeback victory over Southampton at Wembley, City secured their place in a record-breaking fourth consecutive FA Cup final, scheduled for Saturday, 16 May.
The tactical overhaul comes after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign where City finished 18 points behind champions Liverpool and failed to secure major silverware. Since then, the Spaniard has overseen a ruthless squad rebuild, sanctioning the departures of veteran stars Kevin de Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Jack Grealish, and Ederson to make room for a younger cohort.
Despite a “sticky” start to the 2025-26 season including two defeats in the opening three fixtures, the refreshed squad has found its rhythm. Having already secured the Carabao Cup, City now look to replicate their 2019 feat of sweeping all three primary English trophies.
The semi-final victory was far from straightforward. Championship side Southampton held a lead deep into the match before late strikes from Jeremy Doku and Nico Gonzalez rescued the tie. The result bolstered Guardiola’s unprecedented record in the competition, where he maintains an 85% win rate, having won 45 of his 53 matches.
“When it looked like Manchester City were down and out, they found it from somewhere,” former City defender Micah Richards told BBC One. “They are taking the big moments.”
While the FA Cup final against either Chelsea or Leeds United looms, the Premier League remains the steepest hurdle. City briefly claimed the top spot on Wednesday after defeating Burnley, but they currently sit second behind Arsenal following the Gunners’ victory over Newcastle.
Guardiola remains cautious about the prospect of the treble, describing the feat as “far, far, far away.”
“The Premier League is almost gone; we are back to second,” Guardiola said, emphasizing the need for recovery. “Now it is important that the players have three days off. I told them not to think about football and just rest.”
The final stretch of the season begins with a trip to Everton on 4 May. City face a grueling schedule of six games in 21 days—a period that will determine if Guardiola’s modern rebuild culminates in a second historic sweep of English football.