Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has publicly called on the club to formally request a rule change from the Football League that would allow defender Marc Guehi to feature in the upcoming Carabao Cup final against Arsenal at Wembley Stadium.
Guardiola's Frustration Over Eligibility Rule
Following City's semi-final victory over Newcastle United, Guardiola expressed significant confusion and frustration regarding the current EFL regulations. The rule in question stipulates that a player must be registered and available for their second club before the semi-final first leg to be eligible for the final. Marc Guehi, a high-profile January signing for Manchester City, missed the semi-final second leg against Newcastle as his transfer was not completed in time for the first leg.
This renders him ineligible for the showpiece final in March, despite being a fully contracted City player. Guardiola highlighted the apparent inconsistency, noting that fellow January arrivals Antoine Semenyo and Max Alleyne were permitted to play in the semi-finals due to a recent rule amendment allowing players to represent two clubs in the same competition.
Manager's Public Appeal for Logic
In a post-match interview with Sky Sports, Guardiola made a direct appeal. "Hopefully in March, we can arrive with the player's fit and hopefully you can convince the Carabao Cup that Marc Guehi can play in the final," he stated. "It's difficult to understand that the club who make a big investment to pay one player who belongs to us and I don't understand why he cannot play the final."
He elaborated further in his press conference, emphasising the financial and logical argument. "You buy a player for a lot of money and he is not able to play for a rule I don't understand," Guardiola said. "Hopefully they can change it. You hire a player and he can be disposed the next day. It is difficult to understand."
Context of Recent Rule Changes and Precedents
The situation is complicated by the EFL's own recent adjustments to competition rules. This season saw the introduction of a provision that allows players to feature for two different clubs in the Carabao Cup, a change which directly benefited City with Semenyo and Alleyne. Both had played for Bournemouth and Watford respectively in earlier rounds before their transfers.
Furthermore, City were able to include Sverre Nypan in their semi-final squad as he had not appeared in the competition during his loan spell at Middlesbrough. This backdrop makes Guehi's exclusion particularly galling for Guardiola, who sees it as an illogical barrier preventing a key signing from contributing in a major final.
The Path Forward and Potential Implications
Guardiola confirmed he has instructed the club to formally petition the EFL. "I said to the club, they have to ask, definitely," he asserted. The outcome of this request could set a significant precedent for future mid-season transfers and cup competition regulations.
If successful, it would allow Guardiola to field what he considers his strongest possible side against Mikel Arteta's Arsenal. If denied, City will be without a significant defensive asset for the Wembley final, a scenario the manager is keen to avoid after a substantial investment in the player.
The final decision now rests with the football authorities, as Manchester City prepare their case to overturn a rule that their manager has branded as lacking in "pure logic".
