FA Cup final buildup, Celtic’s trophy day, playoff action and Bundesliga – matchday live
Key events
I’m off for a bit of lunch, Tom Bassam is stepping into the breach.
Here’s our news story on Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen signing for Real Madrid:
Before this season Manchester City have played at least one final – excluding the Community Shield – in all but two of Pep Guardiola’s eight campaigns as manager. Including the Community Shield, City have reached a final in all but one season (2016-17, Guardiola’s first) since 2009-10.
That contrasts with Crystal Palace, who have only contested a major trophy twice in their history, reaching – and losing – the FA Cup final in 1990 and in 2016, against Manchester United on both occasions. In playoff finals their record is impressive. Palace have been promoted to the top flight via the playoff final three times in the Premier League era (though they lost the 1995-96 Division One play-off final against Leicester). (Guardian Sport)
(As someone who goes to Selhurst Park fairly frequently, I agree with Lloyd’s point about it being a pleasingly old-school venue.)
Back to our FA Cup final sit-down with Lloyd Scragg and Chris Waters, City and Palace fans respectively.
What do you think of their fans?
LS: “Palace have great fans. I’ve always admired them. I know other fans are snobby about the Holmesdale ultras but I like the energy they bring. Selhurst is one the best away grounds: a proper old-school, throwback experience in the sanitised Premier League.”
CW: “Difficult one … Judging by all the empty seats at the Etihad, their traditional fanbase can’t feel all that close to this project. There’s a sort of disconnect which we’re lucky not to have; our fans raised £45k for the tifo at Wembley today. This game simply means a lot, lot more to us.”
LS: “It’s an easy trope to point to the empty seats at the Etihad. Most match-going City fans I know aren’t disillusioned with the footballing project, but they are when it comes to the club’s approach to ticketing; fan protests at the Etihad last month ultimately led to a price freeze. Also bear in mind this will be our 31st trip to Wembley since 2011. It’s a very expensive day out!”
Palace have the entire country on their side today, with the exception of Manchester City fans, and this isn’t hatred of Manchester City, I love watching Pep’s team, but a change in the winner is what we all want, and need.
Even some of the City fans, it seems, would not be entirely averse to a Palace victory:
“As a Man City fan I do not really mind if Crystal Palace win,” emails John Rudd. “It’s getting increasingly harder to celebrate victory as a Cityzen. With our ownership and now all these charges. Every victory seems hollow. It’s hard to explain, I love my team and smile when we win but it seems like it could all be taken away very shortly. Now Kevin is on the way out. What does the future hold for our club?”
Question two. Why should neutrals back your club?
LS: “I can’t pretend any neutral will want City to win – maybe just the clubs chasing Conference League qualification. There’s no point in me trying to convince anyone.”
Fair answer, very fair.
CW: “Have to agree … no football fan I’ve spoken to in the buildup wants City to win given their recent history (though I guess I don’t speak to many Brighton or Millwall fans). But it’s no real choice for neutrals: we’ve never won a trophy, and Palace winning this would be a massive boost to the vast majority whose clubs aren’t funded by nation states. It’d mean the world; entering European competition off the back of it would be the cherry on top.”
First question: How are you feeling about the final?
Llloyd Scragg: “Not too confident to be honest … Our draw against Southampton, who had two clean sheets in 47 games, said it all about our inconsistency. This is a much more dysfunctional, passive team than we’ve seen before under Guardiola. Lately he’s leaned into playing the “uncs” (KDB, Gundo, Bernardo, Kovacic) again, who most fans blamed for the winter struggles – but there has been an improvement. We’re all just a bit nervous about his selections.”
Chris Waters: “For us it’s just huge excitement. We had a couple of recent thrashings, but the way we destroyed both Villa and Spurs has given us hope. We’re obvious underdogs, but we do have match winners; if City go gung-ho there’s a chance. We were millmetres from being 3-0 up at the Etihad in April before we lost our heads. Glasner won’t make that tactical mistake again.”
And for Palace: Chris Waters, 50, @clapham_grand over on X.
First match attended? “Our 3-1 Coca-Cola Cup quarter-final win over Chelsea in 1993. The Selhurst mud played a key part.”
Best match attended: “The poogate play-off semi-final win over Brighton in 2013. Magical.”
Let’s step it up a gear. We’ve had a chat with a Manchester City fan and a Crystal Palace fan to gauge how they are feeling about today’s big match.
Stepping up for City is Lloyd Scragg, 30, who you can find on X @lloyd_scragg or at 9320pod.com.
First match Lloyd attended? “City 2-0 Blackburn at Maine Road in 1999. Richard Edgehill and Jeff Whitley scored for us. Heritage.”
Best match attended? “City 3-2 QPR in 2012. I think that one speaks for itself.”
Jacob Steinberg
In non-FA Cup news, Chelsea are one of a number of teams tracking the Leicester centre-back Ben Nelson. The 21-year-old has spent the season on loan at Oxford United and is highly rated. Enzo Maresca, Chelsea’s head coach, gave Nelson his debut at Leicester last season.
Bournemouth’s Huijsen signs for Real Madrid
The Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen has agreed to join Real Madrid. The Spanish club have activated a £50 million release clause.
The news has been confirmed on Bournemouth’s website.
“AFC Bournemouth can confirm that defender Dean Huijsen will join Real Madrid following the conclusion of the 2024/25 season,” reads the story on the Cherries’ official website.
“The centre-back, who joined the Cherries from Juventus last summer, has been instrumental in the club’s record-breaking campaign, which has seen Andoni Iraola’s side already break their highest points tally in the Premier League.”
Here’s a good shot of Eberechi Eze, by the Guardian’s Tom Jenkins, during Palace’s fifth-round win against Millwall on 1 March.
That day, of course, was dominated by the early challenge by Liam Roberts, Millwall’s goalkeeper, on Jean-Philippe Mateta. The goalie was shown a red card and Mateta later required multiple stitches to a wound on his ear after one of the most reckless and dangerous tackles football has seen.
Mateta required lengthy treatment before being carried off on a stretcher.
Millwall competed well with 10 men, and Wes Harding scored on the stroke of half time to make it 2-1. But Eddie Nketiah (left) scored Palace’s third goal in a 3-1 win.
You can email any thoughts to our matchday live email address.
You can also comment below the line.
Don’t forget: Barney Ronay will be answering your questions this afternoon. Please send in any questions for Barney via the matchday live email or in the comments.
If you have not read Jonathan Liew’s interview with Will Hughes yet, don’t miss it. There is some fascinating stuff in there. For example:
“On the ball, frightening,” Hughes says of Adam Wharton. “Levels above what I am. Some of the things he does – how he’s seen that? There’s no stats for some of the stuff he does: breaking up play, passing through the lines …
“I’ve always had that grit,” he says. “It’s gone out of the game a bit now, it feels like every tackle now is a potential booking. But that’s on players as well, making a meal out of every single foul.
“I hate VAR, I absolutely hate it,” he says. “I just think it’s ridiculous when an official has to look at it 10 times. There’s obviously a line of endangering the opponent, but I think 90% of them [red-card tackles] are subjective.”
Also last month, the Belgian maestro said he was surprised not to be offered a new deal by Manchester City:
Kevin De Bruyne. Helluva player, isn’t he? Wasn’t he?
Last month, Jonathan Liew wrote about his impending departure from Manchester City, and why it marks the end of era:
Everton’s new home at Bramley-Moore dock will be known as Hill Dickinson Stadium, the club has announced, after a naming rights deal with the commercial law firm.
Everton have been seeking a naming rights partner for their £800m stadium for some time and had hoped to attract a blue-chip company to their impressive development on the banks of the Mersey. They have signed a long-term deal with Hill Dickinson, which was founded in Liverpool in 1810 and has expanded into Europe and Asia in recent years.
Brian Glanville dies aged 93
Brian Glanville, whose insightful football writing had a profound influence on generations of reporters and readers alike, has died aged 93.
A novelist and respected columnist, Glanville was a prolific commentator on his beloved game, a passionate chronicler of Italian football and author of some of football’s most influential books.
FA Cup glory v Champions League qualification. What will Pep be thinking?
With Chelsea and Villa’s results last night, Guardiola surely has a decision to make with their tough game against Bournemouth on Tuesday. Does he go all out and potentially risk injury / recovery time for the likes of De Bruyne etc. Surely his paymasters would prefer the Champions League spot for obvious reasons. This all points towards a Palace win and I think it’s only fair.
Plus some pure FA Cup love:
Palace are well in with a chance if they play to their potential, should be a good final and interesting at the very least.
I still love the FA Cup and always will, i must be one of the diehards but best of luck to both sets of fans.
“They are not really good at anything,” said the Sky pundit Roy Keane of Manchester United after their 1-0 defeat by Chelsea last night. “This idea they can do something this summer … The days of everyone wanting to go to Man United, those days are gone.
“Even the fans here tonight: I don’t think they’re angry anymore. There’s just an acceptance.”
Rob Davies
Controversial “dynamic pricing” has arrived in English football, the Guardian can reveal, after a company backed by sports stars including the England men’s football captain, Harry Kane, charged more than £3,000 for two seats at the FA Cup final.
Seat Unique, which sells VIP hospitality packages for events, has won endorsements and even financial backing from professional athletes and sports teams, promising to deliver “exceptional, authentic experiences to fans”.
But the London-based company has been accused of acting “like a ticket tout” after it slashed the price of Cup final hospitality tickets shortly after a customer had bought a pair to cheer up her football-mad nephew.
Salako, Martyn, Bright, Pardew … they all got stuck in and sang the special Crystal Palace FA Cup Final version of “Glad All Over” back in 1990:
Jamie Jackson
Hello from bucolic Hilton Park Services and a first pitstop halfway to Wembers from Cheshire. So far, on the 1hr 25min ride, only one Manchester City flag streaming from the back window of a car has been spotted.
Having read Ed Aaron’s’ excellent piece on Oliver Glasner and how smart the Palace No 1 is, I would not be surprised if they do a number on City.
But Erling Haaland is back following a lay off and a fresh The Phenomenon is a bullocking, barnstorming nightmare for defences. And he is yet to score for City in a major final …
Ed Aarons
Crystal Palace supporters will be hoping it’s not a bad omen. Oliver Glasner usually enjoys a post-press conference pastry and even mentioned his penchant for the danishes on display at the club’s training ground in Beckenham on Friday as he prepared to face Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
Asked whether he was feeling nervous about the game, the Austrian said his mind was on his stomach. “No, I’m looking forward to my pastry,” he said. “I’ve been answering so many questions.”
Glasner was reassured that two remained, and then revealed his intention to wear a suit for the buildup at Wembley before changing into the lucky black jumper he has worn for the past five matches since Palace were thrashed 5-0 by Newcastle last month. They have remained unbeaten in all five, including the semi-final win over Aston Villa at Wembley.
“After winning a trophy I change my outfit so I hope that it’s the last game for the jumper,” said Glasner, who led Eintracht Frankfurt to the Europa League in 2022.
There was panic among the Palace staff as the press conference finished and they realised there were no pastries left. One staff member even tried to find a quick replacement, but it was too late. Nobody admitted to taking the last one despite Glasner’s attempts to find the culprit. “I will have one later,” he said. Ed Aarons
Only two weeks to go. That’s the mantra. Two more weeks to endure the familiar trauma of logging on to the fantasy football app, picking a team, celebrating the wise decisions that have led you to create an unbeatable unit, watching the weekend’s football disabuse you of this notion, then repeating the whole thing again.
It’s supposed to be a game, but Fantasy Premier League (FPL) is more like a lifestyle. Or a second job. Or even exactly like being a professional footballer: the focus, determination and relentless commitment should really be rewarded with a weekly salary, preferably in the five figures. But no, instead we have to make do with a brief appearance of a green arrow next to our team name or, more likely, a red one.
As for Wharton, I was at the recent Palace v Forest Premier League encounter, and his reading of the game and accuracy/speed of pass was extremely impressive. Certainly it would have been much harder to envisage a Palace win had that ankle knock kept him out of the final.
I’m not sure why everyone is making City strong favourites, when they can’t score and are so vulnerable to the fast counterattacks that Palace are so good at. City will probably play with attacking midfielders at full back, and have already been ripped apart on the wings by Palace twice this season.
This could go either way. I hope it’s a cracker.
Will comments be open early on Wednesday AM so people can bombard the unfortunate whoever is manning the keyboard with how in heck did the two finalists get this far?
Very sad news about Brian Glanville passing. One of the best football journalists ever.
Jamie Jackson
The measure of Manchester City’s class is that they have a chance of claiming the FA Cup in Saturday’s Wembley showpiece despite a troubled campaign featuring serial injury, an insipid title defence, Champions League playoff-stage elimination by Real Madrid and the mid-season departure of the captain, Kyle Walker, on loan.
Oliver Glasner’s in-form Crystal Palace, who have lost two of their past 14 games, are in their way but Pep Guardiola’s garlanded team are favourites; the wounded, deposed champions intent on not ending a season empty-handed for the first time since his opening 2016-17 term.
“The nerves really ramped up yesterday,” writes Palace fan Simon Livingstone. “Hearing the news that Wharton is fit is a big relief and having him in the team gives us a fighting chance.
“We need to take our chances, have some luck, and defend well. This Palace team is the best we’ve had since the 90s, or better! Getting a ticket was tough, but I’m glad I’m going, it’s going to be a great day. Come on Palace!”
Jonathan Liew
Chat over. Will Hughes strolls across the car park to get some photographs taken. As it happens, the man emerging from the gym at that very moment is the Crystal Palace midfield partner whose praises Hughes has just been lavishly exalting.
“Just added about £20m to your fee in that interview,” Hughes shouts at Adam Wharton as they pass. “You can have half,” Wharton retorts. All delivered with a knowing smile, for this is the Palace of Oliver Glasner, where – as Hughes puts it – “there’s egos, but good egos”. No arrogance, none of the blame culture he sees elsewhere. “You watch other teams and hands are in the air, there’s moaning,” he says. “But I honestly don’t see any of that here.”
Sad news from the world of sports journalism: Brian Glanville, the legendary football writer, has died at the age of 93. Sincere condolences to all his family, friends and colleagues.
“I am a City fan, going to support my team today,” writes Will. “However I now live in Croydon and have many Palace supporting friends.
“This sees me having a huge soft spot for Palace and any other opponent I would be rooting for them to win. I have a sneaking feeling they will.
“Their marvellous front three scare me to death, especially Eze, who I think is better than any City attacker on current form. I’d love him at City.”
Selected comments from below the line.
Adam Wharton is such a cool player. He never seems to run but provides this central stability I desperately wish we had at Man Utd. Combined with this knack of receiving the ball and immediately making a progressive pass gives him a set of abilities rare in the P L.
Look, I know it doesn’t work this way but … I’m 64, I had a triple bypass in January, I was there with 50 000 fans in 1979 when we first reached the top level. Saw us lose to United twice in previous cup finals, and I’ve been a fan for 53 years. Don’t I deserve us to lift the cup this year? Don’t I? Ah well, ok, understood, but hey, it’s a great day out anyway and let’s hope it’s a classic .cos I’m going to miss most of Eurovision for this😂
The big question for me today is whether I go to cheer on Palace down the pub or hide behind the sofa like I did for the semi-final.
Kai Havertz, it seems, has been “destroying metrics” in the Arsenal gym.
Jacob Steinberg reports on the forward’s rehabilitation from a hamstring injury:
Stephen Yoxall has been in touch: “Annual moan that the BBC coverage doesn’t start at 10am and last all day like it did in my day.”
I hear you Stephen. Here are some happy Hammers in 1980 just for good measure. (They beat Arsenal 1-0 that year with Trevor Brooking scoring the only goal in the final.)
And here’s a still from the BBC coverage in 1988, featuring the late Princess Diana handing the trophy to Wimbledon’s Dave Beasant.
Two matches took place in His Majesty’s Premier League last night.
First, Aston Villa beat Tottenham in what it appears may have been Emiliano Martínez’s final match at Villa Park. Ben Fisher was there:
Kicking off a little later, Chelsea and Manchester United played out a largely dreary affair at Stamford Bridge: Marc Cucurella’s second-half header proved the difference in what may be a crucial result in the Blues’ attempt to qualify in for next season’s Champions League. Ben Bloom was on the scene:
Comments are open so please bombard me with your thoughts, including questions for Barney Ronay.
Alternatively you can email our matchday live address.
Jamie Jackson
Pep Guardiola has taken a swipe at the Premier League for scheduling Manchester City’s penultimate fixture of the season, against Bournemouth on Tuesday, 72 hours after today’s FA Cup final meeting with Crystal Palace.
Preamble
The FA Cup is back.
True, it never went away, but it just feels bigger this season. The reasons for that may be numerous and we need not be concerned with them now. All that matters is that in several hours Crystal Palace and Manchester City will stride on to the Wembley turf to contest one of the more eagerly-awaited finals of recent years.
This blog, your one-stop shop for all the buildup, will run until 4pm, otherwise known as half an hour before kick-off. We’ve got plenty to get through including a Q and A with Barney Ronay at Wembley. (Post your questions for Barney in the comments at your leisure, and he’ll be here to answer them at around 2.30pm.)
There are also league games in Scotland and Germany that we’ll be keeping on top of, bringing you the big moments, as well as the League Two playoff semi-final between AFC Wimbledon and Notts County (12.30pm KO BST).
Team news, all the buildup and completely over-the-top hype will be coming thick and fast so sit back, relax, and let the football commence.
Men’s FA Cup final kick-off time: 4.30pm BST
