Pep Guardiola Reacts To Haaland’s Decision In Man City Vs Crystal Palace FA Cup Final

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, said he didn’t ask Erling Haaland not to take the penalty kick during the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium.

The match ended with a narrow 1-0 victory for Crystal Palace, courtesy of Eberechi Eze’s well-placed goal in the first half.

As the game progressed, Manchester City was given a golden opportunity to equalise when the referee awarded a penalty kick for a foul on Bernardo Silva just before halftime.

This moment became a pivotal point in the match, especially considering Erling Haaland, the team’s usual penalty taker and prolific goal scorer, chose to pass the responsibility to Omar Marmoush, a decision that raised eyebrows.

When asked about the reasoning behind this choice, Guardiola revealed that he was not directly involved in the conversation between Haaland and Marmoush.

He stated, “I don’t know, I didn’t speak to them. They made a decision. They decide.”

Despite Haaland’s usual role as the penalty taker, Marmoush stepped up to take the crucial shot.

Unfortunately for City, Marmoush’s attempt was skillfully saved by Dean Henderson, the Crystal Palace goalkeeper, who performed remarkably throughout the match, making several key saves that secured the victory for his team.