Guardiola Criticizes Rule Barring Guéhi from League Cup Final: "Why Can't He Play? We Pay His Salary"

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola faces an unusual situation ahead of the League Cup final, scheduled for March 22, 2026, against Arsenal. The issue stems from a rule that prevents English defender Marc Guéhi from participating in the final, despite his recent transfer to City.

City secured their place in the final after defeating Newcastle United with a 5-1 aggregate score in the semi-finals. However, Guéhi, who joined from Crystal Palace last month for approximately €23 million, is ineligible for the final because he previously played in the same competition for his former club before his move to City.

According to Football Association regulations, a player can only feature for two different clubs in the same cup competition in a single season if they were registered before the first leg of the semi-final. This condition was not met by Guéhi, as his transfer occurred after the first leg had already taken place.

Speaking to the media, Guardiola expressed his surprise at the rule, confirming that the club would submit a formal request to the English Football Association to review the regulations and allow Guéhi to participate in the Wembley final. He stated, “I hope we succeed in convincing them, because some things are sometimes difficult to understand.”

Guardiola added, “It is said that Marc could not play the second leg because he did not participate in the first, but now we are facing the final match, so why is he not allowed to play? What is the impediment? We pay his salary and signed him as a player, and this seems logical. We will send an official letter, and I hope the rule will be amended so that he can participate.”

However, the Spanish coach also acknowledged that he does not expect the request to be successful.