Guardiola Criticizes FA Cup Balls and Receives Swift Response from FA

Manchester City secured a confident victory over Plymouth in the FA Cup Round of 16, but despite the win, the Citizens' head coach Pep Guardiola found something to criticize. However, it wasn't his players.

Manchester City's head coach expressed his dissatisfaction with the balls used in the FA Cup, stating that they are difficult to control and not every shot reaches its target because of them.

Quote: “The Champions League ball is great, the Premier League ball is great, but this one is not. It's difficult to control. When you're losing and you talk about it, it seems like an excuse, but the problem really exists. It's been going on for many years in the FA Cup and EFL Cup. I understand it's a business, there are contracts, but it's wrong. Did you see how many shots went over the crossbar? Look at other matches. Under normal circumstances, those shots would have gone in.”

However, Guardiola received a prompt response from the football association representatives, who stated that the ball meets all FIFA criteria.

Quote: “All balls used in professional football must meet the FIFA Quality Pro certification, and this ball meets all the requirements. We and Mitre understand that ball choice is subjective, but we are confident in its high quality. Considering that more than 350 goals have been scored in this season's FA Cup, it's clear that this ball contributes to the spectacle and competitiveness of the tournament.”

Reminder: In the FA Cup quarter-finals, Manchester City will play against Bournemouth.