Chelsea – Manchester City

Manchester City will win the second national cup this year

At the Wembley stadium in London, the final match of the oldest football competition in the world will take place. The aims and objectives of the teams for the decisive match are the same and obvious, but their justification is different for each. Chelsea have not simply failed this season, but collapsed on virtually every football front. The source of problems at the London club was its own management, which since the summer of 2025 dreamed of getting rid of the inconvenient Enzo Mareski, who had led Chelsea to victories in European and world tournaments, and to appoint as head coach the 'handpicked' Liam Rosenior from the French 'farm club' Strasbourg. After implementing what they planned in January, the club leadership admitted their mistake too late, dismissing the latest appointee with a substantial contractual severance. Manchester City endured a serious crisis last season. However, the owners and managers of the Mancunian club chose a different path, uniting around the coaching genius Pep Guardiola. The Spanish specialist did not disappoint. City has already won one domestic cup this season. Then City played as underdogs against Arsenal, but fairly beat them in regulation time - 2:0. In the second final of this year Manchester City is considered the favourite. Bookmakers offered odds of 1.75 on their win in regulation time. For such Chelsea, reaching the FA Cup final is a great fortune. It happened thanks to some incredible tournament draw. While Manchester City were getting past Newcastle and Liverpool, the Blues in the national cup assembled a lineup of opponents: Charlton, Wrexham, Port Vale and Leeds. As we can see, the latter became Chelsea's most high-profile opponent. And Leeds, who were fighting in the Premier League to preserve their top-flight status, at Wembley hit on target and tested Chelsea's goal more often than Chelsea tested theirs. Also in City's favour is that the 'Citizens' have been in good shape for quite a while, contending for the Premier League title. For Chelsea, a successful away trip to Liverpool, ending 1-1, is the only major match in recent months that they have not lost. The nominal guests will win in regulation time.