Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is calling for a common-sense shift in English Football League (EFL) regulations. The Spaniard is pushing for January signing Marc Guehi to be eligible for the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal at Wembley on March 22.
Despite Guehi being a high-profile addition to the City squad, current competition rules have sidelined him for the upcoming trophy showdown.
Why Marc Guehi is Ineligible for the Final
The 25-year-old England center-back joined Manchester City from Crystal Palace shortly after City’s 2-0 first-leg semi-final victory over Newcastle. However, the EFL’s strict eligibility criteria state that a player must be registered:
“Prior to the closure of the Winter transfer window, or the first leg of the semi-final (whichever is sooner).”
Because Guehi arrived after the first leg against the Magpies, he is technically barred from participating in the final—a rule Guardiola has labeled as “illogical.”
“Pure Logic”: Guardiola’s Plea to the EFL
Speaking after City’s 5-1 aggregate triumph over Newcastle, Guardiola didn’t hold back his frustration regarding the registration roadblock.
“I don’t understand why he cannot play the final,” Guardiola stated. “You buy a player for a lot of money and he is not able to play for a rule I don’t understand. Hopefully, they can change it.”
Guardiola highlighted the inconsistency by pointing to fellow January signing Antoine Semenyo. The former Bournemouth winger arrived four days before the first leg, allowing him to play and even score against Newcastle.
“We pay his salary, he is our player,” Pep added. “When you buy a player, he has to play, no? It’s logic. Of course, we are going to try to ask for him to play. Pure logic.”
Precedent for Rule Changes
Manchester City has already seen the benefits of evolving competition rules this season. New “cup-tied” regulations allowed both Semenyo and Max Alleyne to feature in the semi-finals despite having played for Bournemouth and Watford, respectively, in earlier rounds.
Guardiola hopes the EFL will show similar flexibility for Guehi, though he remains realistic about the outcome. When asked what he expects the EFL’s response to be, he replied: “No. But we will try.”
