Pep Guardiola reveals Man City have not trained since midweek fixture ahead of FA Cup final

City arrive at Wembley for their fourth consecutive FA Cup final still competing for silverware on multiple fronts, having already won the League Cup and continuing their Premier League title chase against Arsenal. But Guardiola said the tight schedule has left them with almost no preparation time for Chelsea.

"It's not the perfect scenario to prepare for the final because we didn't train absolutely anything since Crystal Palace," he said. "But I rely a lot on what we have to do and we're going to try."

He added that Chelsea's full week of preparation created an obvious imbalance, even if City's packed fixture list is the consequence of deep runs in other competitions.

"I would prefer to have seven days like Chelsea had but when you reach the final of the Carabao Cup and you win one of these domestic trophies, then you have less days," Guardiola said. "The schedule is what it is. Of course, it's not ideal but we did it in the past and we'll have to do it tomorrow."

Despite the disrupted build-up, Guardiola insisted City will still approach the final with full intensity, stressing the importance of the occasion for both the club and its supporters.

"It is the FA Cup final at Wembley with two prestigious clubs, with our fans that make an incredible effort to come down to London - which today is not cheap - and try to perform as good as possible to win," he said.

City are chasing a response after losing the last two FA Cup finals, to Manchester United in 2024 and Crystal Palace last year, having lifted the trophy in 2023. Guardiola said he is determined to change that recent record.

"There's excitement, of course. I hope we can do better than the last two times," he said. "Wembley is still a special place. Everything is so nice. The pitch is extraordinary. We are desperate to perform well."

Guardiola confirmed a late fitness check will be made on midfielder Rodri, while the rest of the squad is available. He is expected to recall several senior players after heavy rotation in midweek.

He also joked about his long association with Wembley, where he has taken charge of City 24 times.

"I'm so disappointed with English football for not making a stand for Pep," he said with a smile. "Maybe I need to go 24 more times."

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