- Marc Guehi did not join his Manchester City colleagues to win the Carabao Cup, nor did he get a medal
- Nico O’Reilly’s brace was the difference between Pep Guardiola’s side and Arsenal in the final at Wembley Stadium
- Guehi will not be recognized as a Carabao Cup winner despite joining Manchester City in the January transfer window
Manchester City beat silent Arsenal to win the 2026 Carabao Cup final on Sunday evening, but not every player will get a medal.
Source: Getty Images
Nico O’Reilly was the unexpected player of the evening, with the midfielder turned defender scoring two crucial headers to win the game for his side.
Pep Guardiola speaks after defeating Arsenal
Arsenal were the biggest leaders of the game due to their high level this season. They were still challenging for titles on all four fronts as City were eliminated from the Champions League and Real Madrid.
But those leaders were meaningless as Pep Guardiola achieved another great success by showing a good level in the second half.
“Today we saw ourselves and our level against the best team. We were what we are. That’s the proof and the challenge. That’s what we do. We don’t regret challenges, that’s what games are. They are the best so far. In the second half, I didn’t believe that we could do it against Arsenal, but we did it,” he said through the club’s website.
Why was Marc Guehi not given a Carabao Cup medal?
Despite sudden celebrations from the blue corner after the final whistle, one of their players, Marc Guehi, did not get a medal.
Guehi was not eligible to play in the cup final but was still there in person to support his teammates. The England international won the trophy after joining Manchester City in January.
Carabao Cup rules were amended to allow a player to play for more than two clubs in one season, as long as he is registered before the first leg of the semi-final. However, Guehi joined from Crystal Palace after City played the first match away at St. James Park.
He was therefore not awarded a medal, unlike Antoine Semenyo, another January signing, who joined City before the semi-finals. The Ghanaian started the final at Wembley.
Source: Twitter
Carabao Cup rules dictate that the winning club will be awarded 30 gold medals, but more can be awarded, at the club’s expense.
Guehi was seen participating in the celebrations on the field, but he did not have a medal around his neck. The former defender of Chelsea he captained Crystal Palace in the FA Cup and Community Shield at Wembley last season.
Rayan Cherki shows an irreverent skill
Elsewhere, Pep Guardiola was not happy after Rayan Cherki did extra training during the final against Arsenal.
The French midfielder made the move shortly after going 2-0 up, and luckily, it didn’t come back.
Arsenal defender Ben White attacked him and got a yellow card.
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