Manchester City return to Wembley Stadium this afternoon aiming to secure the second part of a potential treble when they face Chelsea in the 145th FA Cup final. Pep Guardiola’s side lifted the Carabao Cup at the same venue less than eight weeks ago and, with the Premier League title already decided, another domestic trophy would cap a campaign in which they have already demonstrated their trademark resilience. For Chelsea, the occasion represents an opportunity to salvage a deeply disappointing season and end a run of three successive domestic cup final defeats.
Match Context and Background
City arrive as the first team in history to contest four consecutive FA Cup finals, having won the competition seven times. Their most recent triumph came in 2019 with a 6‑0 thrashing of Watford, though they have lost the last two finals – to Manchester United and then Crystal Palace. Chelsea, meanwhile, are making their 17th appearance in the final – the third‑most after Manchester United and Arsenal – and have won the trophy eight times, most recently in 2018 against the same opposition. The Blues also lifted the Conference League and the Club World Cup last year, but their domestic form has been erratic. They have won only three matches in all competitions since the beginning of March.
Wembley has not been a happy hunting ground for Chelsea since that 2018 success. Their last eight matches at the national stadium have produced a combined total of just seven goals. City, by contrast, have lost back‑to‑back FA Cup finals but arrive with confidence after winning the Carabao Cup in March. Guardiola’s side have not lost any of their last 13 meetings with Chelsea in all competitions – their longest unbeaten run against the Blues – and have won 21 of their last 23 FA Cup matches overall. In the two Premier League encounters this season, City took four points from a possible six, and the overall head‑to‑head record stands at 71 Chelsea wins, 69 City wins and 42 draws.
Speculation is rife that this could be Guardiola’s last trip to Wembley as City manager, though the Spaniard has not confirmed any departure. “I’m so disappointed English football that they don’t make a stand to Pep!” he joked. “Many times I’ve been there, at least a lounge or a box or something like that. Maybe I go 24 more times. It’s a special place definitely. Since Barcelona when we won the first Champions League with my club … It’s really good to go to Wembley again at 3pm, FA Cup, the two teams with the two managers.” Chelsea supporters may draw hope from the fact that Manchester United and Crystal Palace each inflicted FA Cup final defeats on City in the past two seasons – the kind of upset that would be required again today.
The match kicks off at 3pm BST and is being broadcast live on BBC and TNT Sports. Betting markets reflect City’s status as heavy favourites, with odds of 4/11 to lift the trophy compared to Chelsea at 21/10 (via Betfair).
Team News and Selection
Chelsea captain Reece James could make his first start in two months after returning from a hamstring injury as a substitute against Liverpool. Interim manager Calum McFarlane is expected to deploy a 4‑2‑3‑1 formation: Robert Sánchez in goal; James, Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill and Marc Cucurella in defence; Romeo Lavia and Moisés Caicedo in midfield; Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernández and Pedro Neto supporting striker João Pedro. Levi Colwill is likely to partner Chalobah at centre‑back, while Lavia and Caicedo form the double pivot.
McFarlane, whose interim tenure has been marked by inconsistent results, faces the biggest match of his career. Victory would not only secure European football for next season but could also help the club convince Xabi Alonso – the leading contender for the permanent head‑coach role – that Stamford Bridge is the right destination. According to Standard Sport, Chelsea have an agreement in principle with Alonso, though details of the structure are still being finalised and reports have emerged that the Spaniard may reject the offer, with Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola also linked.
Elsewhere, Chelsea have confirmed that 19‑year‑old forward Estevão will miss the final and the World Cup after suffering a hamstring injury. Standard Sport understands that the club and player have agreed on a recovery programme and that there are no immediate plans for surgery. Estevão struggled with two separate hamstring problems since the winter, limiting his impact in his debut season.
Manchester City, meanwhile, are dealing with a doubt over midfielder Rodri, who is considered questionable for the match. Guardiola’s squad otherwise looks strong, with the manager able to call on the depth that has defined City’s sustained success under his leadership.
Fan Protests Against Ownership
While the football on the pitch will dominate headlines, a significant number of Chelsea supporters are planning to use the FA Cup final as a platform to voice their discontent with the club’s ownership. The supporter group Not A Project CFC has organised a peaceful march down Wembley Way before kick‑off, aiming to demonstrate that their protest is not a reaction to results – the final itself is a high point in an otherwise dismal campaign – but a fundamental objection to the direction set by BlueCo, the consortium led by Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali.
Dissent has risen sharply in recent weeks following the end of Liam Rosenior’s ill‑fated spell as head coach. Fans fear Chelsea could spiral into a situation similar to that of Tottenham, who currently face a battle against relegation. “Not A Project CFC” have made clear that their anger is directed at the ownership’s strategy, which has seen a Premier League‑record pre‑tax loss of £262.4 million and more than £1.5 billion spent on transfers since the takeover in 2022. The group plans to turn their backs on the pitch in the 22nd minute of a future match against Tottenham – a symbolic gesture referencing the month and year (May 2022) when BlueCo completed its purchase.
This weekend’s demonstration is described as the first time fans have protested against the ownership even after their team reached an FA Cup final. The organisers hope to alert investors in Clearlake Capital, the private equity firm backing BlueCo, to the growing discontent. The protests are not limited to Chelsea supporters, either; fans of RC Strasbourg, also owned by BlueCo, have staged joint protests, accusing the group of reducing their club to a feeder operation. The march at Wembley is intended to be a visible, peaceful statement that the issues at Stamford Bridge go deeper than the identity of the manager or the results of any single match.
The prize money on offer – £2.12 million for the winners and £1.06 million for the runners‑up – is unchanged from the previous year and represents a relatively minor financial incentive for clubs of this scale. For Chelsea, the real prize may be the chance to restore some pride and give the supporters a moment of unity before the club embarks on yet another summer of change.
