Man City is chasing a treble. Chelsea is in turmoil. FA Cup final looks like a mismatch, but is it?

TL;DR

Manchester City aims for a treble as they face Chelsea in the FA Cup final, while Chelsea struggles with turmoil and a novice interim coach. The match is seen as a potential mismatch, but surprises can happen in football.

Key points

Manchester City is aiming for a domestic treble.
Chelsea is struggling with coaching changes and poor performance.
Calum McFarlane is Chelsea's interim coach.
The FA Cup final is seen as a potential mismatch.
City has only lost one domestic match since November.

Mentioned in this story

Pep GuardiolaCalum McFarlaneArne SlotBen White

Manchester CityChelseaPremier LeagueFA Cup

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — This season's FA Cup has already delivered the biggest upset in its 155-year history. Why not one more? While, on the face of it, victory for Chelsea against Manchester City in Saturday's final would not go down as one of the more memorable shocks in the history of soccer's oldest knockout competition, it would certainly upset the odds. Consider the fortunes of both teams going into the Wembley showpiece. City is still in contention for a domestic treble of trophies, having already won the English League Cup. It is second in the Premier League, two points behind Arsenal with two rounds to go, and has only lost one domestic match since the end of November. The form is certainly with Pep Guardiola's team, even if his current class feels below the standard of his greatest in his time at City. Chelsea, meanwhile, despite spending more than $1 billion to assemble a squad that won the Club World Cup less than a year ago, is in turmoil. Two coaches have been fired since the turn of the year. Liam Rosenior lasted less than four months and was shown the door in April after a run of seven losses in eight games in all competitions. The record has hardly improved since then, with Chelsea still without a league win in seven games and looking likely to miss out on Champions League qualification next season. It is relying on a novice interim coach to try to end the campaign on a high note and deny Guardiola what would be his 17th major trophy at City and his 35th overall. Calum McFarlane was promoted from an academy role at Chelsea to fill in as interim after Club World Cup-winning coach . Now he's back in that position after Rosenior's exit. McFarlane vs. Guardiola feels like a mismatch of epic proportions. Or is it? Despite his extremely limited experience as a head coach, McFarlane, who was formerly part of City's academy, has already produced some standout results. Not least when taking charge of Chelsea's 1-1 draw at City in January. Since being reinstated, he steered the team to victory against in the FA Cup semifinals and a 1-1 draw at last week. In that sense, he is making a habit of producing performances on the big occasion. So while a victory against City would not quite compare with sixth-tier Macclesfield eliminating titleholder in the third round, a novice coach leading crisis-struck Chelsea to triumph at Wembley is an unlikely storyline in its own right.

Q&A

What is Manchester City's current position in the Premier League?

Manchester City is currently second in the Premier League, two points behind Arsenal with two rounds remaining.

Why is Chelsea considered to be in turmoil ahead of the FA Cup final?

Chelsea is in turmoil due to the firing of two coaches this season and a poor run of form, with no league wins in seven games.

Who is Chelsea's interim coach for the FA Cup final?

Chelsea's interim coach for the FA Cup final is Calum McFarlane, who was promoted from an academy role.

What are the stakes for Manchester City in the FA Cup final?

A victory in the FA Cup final would give Manchester City their 17th major trophy under Pep Guardiola and keep their treble hopes alive.

Man City is chasing a treble. Chelsea is in turmoil. FA Cup final looks like a mismatch, but is it?

TL;DR

Key points

Q&A

Related Articles

Villas Boas: "Lewandowski está fuera de nuestro alcance económico"

Viñales vuelve con ganas: "Mi objetivo no es sólo continuar en MotoGP, es ganar"

PREVIEW | Celtic vs Hearts: team news, lineups, predictions (Scottish Premiership 16/05)

EPL GW -37 FPL Clean sheet odds

World Cup 2026 halftime show details: Madonna, Shakira, BTS to headline first ever FIFA final performance

Big Ten announces opponents for Nebraska basketball's 2026-27 season

More from Sports

Key matchups

Players to watch

Out of action

Off the field