Man City focus on Liverpool tie as Guardiola backs Foden and addresses Rodri talk
City are pushing to open the £300m North Stand for the Aston Villa finale, adding over 7,000 seats to take capacity past 60,000. The urgency is linked by reports to uncertainty over whether this could be Guardiola’s Etihad farewell.
Guardiola prioritises the FA Cup, driving City to seven straight semi-finals and a 17-game home winning run. A win over Liverpool would make it eight in a row and break a 145-year home record.
Guardiola backs Phil Foden to ‘click and be back’, calling his dip a normal stage. He highlights Foden’s key role alongside Haaland earlier this season and insists the talent remains.
Report claims City line up $100m bid for Dani Olmo as a Foden ‘upgrade’, while saying Bernardo Silva has a Barcelona pre-agreement. Rumours only, with PSG also linked to Olmo.
Pep Lijnders joined Guardiola’s staff after leaving Liverpool, despite previously saying he would not assist elsewhere. Guardiola praised him. Lijnders helped City win the Carabao Cup and will lead vs Liverpool with Guardiola serving a two-match ban, according to the report.
Pep Guardiola will wait until the end of 2025-26 to decide his Man City future, complicating summer plans. He is under contract to 2027, per the report.
Guardiola says if Rodri is ‘not happy’ he can leave, but expects him to stay. City want him to ‘stay, stay, stay’. Manager also targets FA Cup history vs Liverpool and backs Phil Foden to recover form.
City track Athletico Paranaense talent Bruninho. Release clause €50m, with reports suggesting Athletico want around €25m. Hugo Viana leads interest, with a potential Bahia route before a later move to Europe when he turns 18 in 2026.
City will not block Rico Lewis if he seeks an exit despite a 2030 deal. The 21-year-old has 1,015 minutes this term, with Matheus Nunes preferred at right-back. Newcastle and Sunderland are among reported suitors.
FA Cup quarter-final at the Etihad. City are on a record-equalling run of 17 straight home wins in the competition and a victory would break the 1881 benchmark. Team news cited includes Trafford to start, Guehi available, and Dias and Stones as doubts, with claims on other players framed as reports from the source.
