It has become the week that often defines just how many trophies Manchester City can win in a season and while the Champions League remains Pep Guardiola's Kryptonite, the FA Cup semi-final weekend can be just as frustrating.
It was telling that when Guardiola walked in for his press conference half-an-hour after booking a sixth semi-final in seven seasons on Saturday, his first answer began with a look ahead to the schedule. "Always we play after Champions League quarter-finals," Guardiola said of the cup semi-finals.
It has been a problem for them previously and in the five semi-finals they have reached, they have lost four. "Even the year we won we struggled," added the City manager. "It was against Brighton, not really good."
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In Guardiola's first season City lost to Arsenal in extra-time but had gone out of the Champions League to Monaco in the last-16. Since beating Watford 6-0 to win the only FA Cup of the Guardiola era, the Blues have fallen at Wembley in the semi-final in three successive seasons.
They lost to Mikel Arteta's Arsenal in the pandemic-affected campaign, but then lost to Chelsea a few days after Borussia Dortmund away in the Champions League, then were beaten by Liverpool last term, three days after being dragged into a battle by Atletico Madrid in the Spanish capital.
For the third successive year the schedule has given City a repeat. An away Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday followed by an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Saturday.
Such is Guardiola's fatalism about the week that he was already predicting City would have to play at Wembley on Saturday. If they had drawn Manchester United it would have been Sunday, but Guardiola can read the tea leaves where this week is concerned.
"We will play on the Saturday for sure – even if United are beaten by Fulham. We will play Saturday, don’t worry," Guardiola said after beating Burnley 6-0, before the draw for the last four had been made.
Guardiola has struck upon a solution to his team's Wembley headaches, although it's one that is unlikely to go down well at the Football Association.
"Hopefully one year we can play the semi-finals here in Manchester – the Wembley people come here to change the dynamic," he said. "The worst games we have played is always semi-final of FA Cup at Wembley.
"Never we were there. Our performances were really poor every time. "But the last years always before or after the Champions League quarter-final and we travelled. We were tired."
But the four semi-final defeats can't solely be attributed to the schedule. Guardiola knows improvements can and must be made if City are to navigate a trip to Munich and then finally reach a second FA Cup final in his seven seasons.
"We have to prepare better. To play the semi-finals, you have to be ready. It’s so important. We’ve played naively, no good," said Guardiola.
"Three-zero against Liverpool [at half-time]… I know they’re a good team but 3-0 at half-time? When we lost against Arsenal in Mikel’s first season, it was really bad.
"Hopefully this time we can behave as who we are. It’s not about reaching the final, I just always had the feeling that we didn’t compete, we were not there, we were not hungry enough. The FA Cup is so nice. When we beat Watford it was really nice. We’ve been there once."
Asked about his record in the FA Cup, Guardiola couldn't resist another sarcastic comment at the end of a week in which City have scored 13 goals in two games.
"I am a failure in FA Cup. I told you, Julia Roberts," he said.
The Pretty Woman star is unlikely to be guest of honour at Wembley on April 22, but Guardiola is desperate to turn the tide when it comes to City's record in this fixture.
"I would love it. The final of FA Cup is a dream to play there and this season we are going to try. Important is to be there," the City boss said.
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