Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola gave his FA Cup Final pre-match press conference today, and during the session he provided updates on backup goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, winger Jack Grealish and defender Ruben Dias.
Pep is going with the old conventional wisdom that when you have designated one of your goalkeepers to be the cup competition guy, you stick with it- even with the final.
Manchester Derby FA Cup Final FYIs
Kickoff: Sat. June 3, Wembley Stadium, London, UK
Team News: Man United Man City
Starting XI Predictions: Man United Man City
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
Fun Fact: this is the first ever Manchester derby FA Cup Final
Recent series history: United have won five of the last six meetings between these two rivals in the FA Cup competition
“He is going to play,” Guardiola responded, when asked about Ortega specifically at a press conference.
“I have always been like that in the FA Cup. At Barcelona and Bayern as well. The goalkeeper who plays in the FA Cup is going to play.
Meanwhile Grealish and Dias are both match fit, having returned to full training after missing the last three matches.
“They trained well the last two sessions,” Guardiola said.
“They are all of them more or less fine. It’s the final of the FA Cup. It’s a pleasure to be here, we will travel tonight [Friday] and be ready for tomorrow. It’s a final, nothing else.”
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
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