As Manchester City get ready for yet another FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest—this will be their 26th time at Wembley since 2011—they are once again the top dogs when it comes to FA Cup odds. But this time, there’s a feeling of added importance, not just because they lost in last year’s final. This season has been a bit underwhelming for them, especially by their own high standards. With the Premier League race tighter than ever and their European dreams hanging in the balance, the FA Cup is now their best shot at some silverware.
Now, most clubs would be pretty happy with that, but under Pep Guardiola, City aims for the stars. Since he came on board in 2016, he’s led City to victory every season except his first one—a transition period that remains the only time he didn’t get any trophies. Success has become the norm under his leadership. They’ve been so good that even winning just one trophy in a season feels like a letdown. It’s like, they’ve been too successful for their own good.
To truly appreciate how far they’ve come, let’s take a trip down memory lane to where it all started. We’re talking about their first taste of glory after the big takeover—the 2011 FA Cup. Before City became the powerhouse they are today, they were just hopeful contenders. When Roberto Mancini guided them to victory in the 2011 FA Cup, it not only ended a 35-year drought for a major trophy but also marked the beginning of something huge.
That season saw a new squad forming under new ownership, with key players like Yaya Touré, David Silva, Carlos Tevez, and Vincent Kompany starting to click. But there was still a lot to prove. Years of disappointments had left fans craving for some success. And they finally got it at Wembley. After tough matches against Reading and Stoke, the most memorable win came in the semi-final against Manchester United. Yaya Touré’s goal sealed the deal with a 1-0 victory that not only secured City a spot in the final but also announced their arrival as a force to be reckoned with.
They went on to beat Stoke City in the final, with Toure again scoring the winning goal. Finally lifting the FA Cup and putting an end to the “typical City” curse. It was a moment of pure joy for the fans, but more importantly, it was the first trophy of the Sheikh Mansour era. That win gave the team confidence, set the stage for more victories, and laid the groundwork for what was to come. The FA Cup win was just the beginning.
The following season, City pulled off a dramatic Premier League win in 2012—their first league title in 44 years. From there, they went on to dominate English football under Guardiola, winning every major domestic title multiple times and conquering Europe. The journey from underdogs to champions can all be traced back to that fateful day at Wembley. It instilled a winning mentality, gave everyone belief, and showed the rest of the league that City meant business.
Now, the challenge for City is to salvage what has been a disappointing season. Winning the FA Cup may not define Guardiola’s legacy, but it could definitely rescue a season that has fallen short of expectations. It’s like, they’ve set the bar so high that anything less than perfection feels like a failure. But hey, that’s the price of success, right?
And there you have it, folks. City’s journey from hopeful contenders to serial winners all started with that epic FA Cup win in 2011. Who would’ve thought that one victory could change the course of a whole club? It’s pretty amazing when you think about it.
