'What a season' - Pep Guardiola raves about Man City after Chelsea win
Pep Guardiola hailed Manchester City's season regardless of the silverware they win after they overcame mental and physical tiredness to book their place in the FA Cup Final.
City's manager hit the roof at the scheduling after their 1-0 win over Chelsea before pointing to the effort of all of the players for getting over the line. He couldn't say that many of them had played well, but he couldn't knock their effort.
And as galling as it was to go out on penalties in the Champions League, Guardiola will not allow their European defeat to define their season. City have the Premier League title race in their control and are 90 minutes away from winning the FA Cup in consecutive years after overcoming Chelsea.
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"In these conditions we travel to London to play against Chelsea in their best moment of the season and do what we have done today? What a season we have done. What a season," he said.
"Football is defined like this. Manu Akanji arrive in the byline, cross, Kevin up [over the bar]. Manu Akanji, byline, cross, Bernardo goal. One season is defined in these details.
"We could lose today. Chelsea had the chances. Today the coin came [in our favour] but I'm doing to define the season going out of the Champions League with these guys? After winning the Treble? And still come here?
"Today I said to them don't fight against your feelings. If you're sad and disappointed, it's fine. Don't pretend to be happy all the time in life. I said to them I'm sad. But once you're here, do your best. And they did it.
"Akanji and Rodri, and Kevin? Pfft. Kyle was injured for four weeks, played 120 minutes and said he wanted to play again. He could have had Mudryk or Raheem or Madueke? But he wanted to play. Did he play good? No, but he was there. And it's enough."