Crystal Palace pulled off a stunning upset in the FA Cup final, defeating Manchester City to win the first major trophy in the club’s history. The unexpected result has left fans wondering: when was the last time legendary coach Pep Guardiola finished a season without silverware?
The matchup promised an entertaining clash of styles—City’s possession-heavy approach under Guardiola versus Oliver Glasner’s disciplined counterattacking strategy. Palace struck first in the 16th minute, with Daniel Muñoz delivering a pinpoint cross that Eberechi Eze buried into the back of the net.
Despite multiple chances—including a penalty saved by Dean Henderson in the 36th minute to deny Omar Marmoush—City couldn’t find the equalizer. With the final whistle, Crystal Palace lifted their first-ever major trophy, while Manchester City closed out a season that fell far short of expectations.
Guardiola’s last trophyless season
The 2024-25 campaign stands as one of Guardiola’s most disappointing seasons as a manager. City fell out of the Premier League title race midway through the year, were eliminated from the Champions League playoffs by Real Madrid, and failed to win either of England’s domestic cups.
The last time Guardiola finished a season without a trophy was in 2016-17—his first year in charge at Manchester City. That season, the Sky Blues finished third in the Premier League, exited the Champions League in the Round of 16 against Monaco, were eliminated in the FA Cup semifinals, and bowed out of the League Cup in the fourth round.
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The only hardware City have claimed this season is the 2024 Community Shield, which they secured at the start of the campaign with a win over Manchester United. In that game in August 2024, the Citizens claimed the trophy via penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in regular time.
FIFA Club World Cup: Guardiola’s final shot at glory in 2025
Since taking over as FC Barcelona manager in 2008, Pep Guardiola has become synonymous with winning. The only years he’s ended without a trophy are 2008—his debut season at Barca—and 2017, his first season at Manchester City. Now, 2025 is on the brink of joining that list.
With the FA Cup out of reach, Guardiola’s last chance to win a trophy this year will come in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. If City fail to lift the revamped edition of the tournament, they won’t have another opportunity until 2026—an uncharacteristic dry spell for one of the game’s most decorated managers.
