- Man City’s win 20th honour under Pep Guardiola
- Antoine Semenyo shares unfiltered thoughts on his gaffer
- Focus turns to the last 2 Prem games
Pep Guardiola has built an untouchable dynasty at Manchester City as the victory over Chelsea secured trophy number 20 for the Sky Blues, and Antoine Semenyo is all-in for the ride.
It takes a special kind of composure to step up on the biggest domestic stage, and Semenyo delivered exactly that this afternoon.
The forward fired home the decisive goal at Wembley to sink Chelsea 1-0, ensuring the FA Cup returns to the Etihad.
It was a City counter-attack under Guardiola at its finest. And the finish was pure class: Bernardo Silva to Erling Haaland, who fired it into the penalty area, where Semenyo just had to guide the ball into the back of the net with the deftest of backheels.
Antoine Semenyo tips his hat to Pep Guardiola’s genius
Following the full-time whistle, the match-winner was completely buzzing. Being the player to score the GOAL that separated the two sides in the final, obviously, all cameras were panned at him.
But speaking to TNT Sports, he described what it is truly like to operate under the brilliant but notoriously demanding Catalan manager. Semenyo simply wanted the cameras to zoom out and focus on the man on the sidelines.
“Whatever happens in your life, it doesn’t mean it’s the end”
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 16, 2026
Antoine Semenyo reflects on going from Non-League to winning the FA Cup 🙌
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He said, “He’s [Pep] a mad man! We all love him. He’s so passionate. You can see he wants to win trophies! And what he’s done for the club is amazing. I’m so grateful to be here, so grateful that he gets to coach me and make me a better player. He’s just a top man!”
Trophy number 20 in the bag
Semenyo certainly isn’t wrong about his manager’s relentless obsession with winning. Today’s triumph marks a staggering milestone for Guardiola: his 20th major honor since taking the reins in Manchester a decade ago.
The tactical genius has completely rewired the DNA of English football, and this latest cup victory highlights his unique ability to integrate and elevate newer attacking talents like Semenyo into his winning machine.
And take nothing away from Semenyo’s finish, as that was already his 10th goal for the Sky Blues in just 25 appearances across all competitions since joining City in January.
He has been the ultimate plug-and-play signing for Guardiola from the 2026 winter transfer window, threatening defenses just like he used to do during his Bournemouth days.
It just goes to show how vital it is to find the right replacement for any position for a team, even for serial winners like Manchester City.
Eyes back on the Premier League prize
As much as the dressing room will be bouncing tonight, the brutal reality of the run-in means the celebrations will be short-lived.
City are still locked in a suffocating Premier League title battle with Arsenal, and there are just two massive fixtures left to clear.
If Guardiola can channel that passionate, “mad man” energy for just one more week, Semenyo and his teammates could be lifting an even bigger prize before the month is over.
But for that to happen, they would need favours from Burnley and/or Crystal Palace to spoil the Gunners’ party.
