Chelsea F.C. will take on Manchester City F.C. in one of English football’s biggest occasions when the two sides meet in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
The final pits together two of the dominant clubs in recent FA Cup history, with Chelsea and Manchester City recording the highest number of wins, goals and clean sheets in the competition since the 2016/17 campaign.
Chelsea are targeting a ninth FA Cup crown from their 17th final appearance, while City are chasing an eighth title. However, Pep Guardiola’s side head into the match looking to avoid losing a third consecutive FA Cup final after defeats in the previous two editions.
The Blues, meanwhile, are seeking to end a run of three straight FA Cup final defeats and claim another major trophy after recent domestic and European success.
Chelsea booked their place in the final after edging past Leeds United 1-0 in the semi-finals thanks to a decisive header from Enzo Fernandez. Manchester City reached the showpiece after overcoming Southampton.
The London club will hope momentum from their improved display against Liverpool last weekend can inspire another memorable Wembley performance. Chelsea’s most recent victory over City in a major final came in the 2021 UEFA Champions League final in Porto.
Manchester City come into the encounter after balancing their FA Cup campaign with the Premier League title race, most recently defeating Crystal Palace in midweek action.
Chelsea’s route to the final has seen them score freely throughout the competition. The Blues defeated Charlton Athletic, Hull City, Wrexham, Port Vale and Leeds United on their way to Wembley.
City’s journey included victories over Exeter City, Salford City, Newcastle United, Liverpool and Southampton.
Chelsea manager Calum McFarlane has received a timely boost ahead of the final with several key players returning to fitness.
Defenders Reece James and Levi Colwill are both in contention after training well during the week, while positive updates were also provided on Alejandro Garnacho, Pedro Neto and goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.
McFarlane praised Colwill’s performance against Liverpool after his return from injury and expressed confidence in the squad’s preparations for the final.
Historically, Chelsea and Manchester City have faced each other eight times in the FA Cup, but Saturday’s showdown will mark their first-ever meeting in the competition’s final.
Chelsea famously defeated City in the 2021 Champions League final through Kai Havertz’s winning goal, while City won their latest FA Cup meeting in 2024 courtesy of a late strike from Bernardo Silva.
The Blues also boast a rich history in the competition, having previously lifted the FA Cup in 1970, 1997, 2000, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2018.
Several players could play decisive roles at Wembley. Fernandez has contributed four goals and two assists in this season’s FA Cup campaign, while Joao Pedro has scored 20 goals across all competitions this season for Chelsea.
Pedro Neto enters the final as the leading scorer remaining in this season’s FA Cup with four goals.
For Manchester City, all eyes will once again be on Erling Haaland, although the Norwegian striker is still searching for his first goal in a domestic cup final for the club and has failed to score in eight previous Wembley appearances for City.
Another interesting storyline surrounds Garnacho, who scored against Manchester City in last season’s FA Cup final while playing for Manchester United. No player has scored against the same opponent in FA Cup finals for two different clubs.
Saturday’s final will be decided on the day. If scores remain level after 90 minutes, extra time and penalties will be used if required, with VAR also in operation.
The winners of the FA Cup will qualify for next season’s UEFA Europa League unless already qualified for the UEFA Champions League.
