They pulled away from the group, the two of them. Only for about half a minute, Pep Guardiola and his right-hand man, Manel Estiarte, wandered off for a private word.
Just as Antoine Semenyo and Erling Haaland wielding a GoPro, Rayan Cherki orchestrating the crowd in a way that is going to earn him cult status at Manchester City. They were singing about Nico O’Reilly, staff embracing anybody who entered their peripheral.
Guardiola and Estiarte quietly removed themselves from the throng. Guardiola was rubbing his head, seemingly overcome in a moment that didn’t appear to be caught on the hundreds of television cameras inside Wembley. They talked, they hugged. The two of them are inseparable, Estiarte having been there through it all, acting as Guardiola’s rock.
It was a brief encounter just for them, just to take stock before Guardiola marched back into the crowd of jubilance to make sure he got around everybody. This one, a 16th piece of major silverware in England, stirred something inside him.
As the first goal bundled in, Guardiola was Temur Ketsbaia, booting advertising hoardings. Once O’Reilly had completed his brace, City’s manager channelled his inner Jose Mourinho, dancing down the touchline in a way that he just does not do. ‘Emotions are related for me to how we are playing,’ he said. ‘I’ve not yet been proven to be Artificial Intelligence, I’m a human being and I want to celebrate.’
Suggestions had swirled that Guardiola earned himself another booking for the jig, which he appeared to be referencing when discussing AI. Another one for the growing count, just like this trophy.
Pep Guardiola could not hide his emotions after winning the Carabao Cup on Sunday
Manchester City triumphed 2-0 over Arsenal to claim the first major domestic trophy of 2026
There is a story about the first time he won one of these sweet Carabaos, in 2018. When City were busy celebrating at a party for family and friends in a suite, Guardiola was miles away. There in body only. No expression, a blank look, in his own thoughts and mind on things ahead. He wanted to head home and focus on winning the Premier League.
Hopefully he enjoys this one. It is something he has learned over time, to drink moments in. Eight years ago he was a different man and eight years ago this was a different City but then there are striking similarities, similarities that the club will want to harness.
When City lifted the first of their five League Cups under this manager, there were five players in the starting XI who had not lifted silverware before. Among them, Kyle Walker and Ilkay Gundogan, whose careers since need no mention.
On Sunday, when beating the league leaders and best team in the country, City fielded seven players who had either not won a trophy or made a meaningful contribution to one. How many of those can become a Walker or a Gundogan? It’s going to be exciting for City to find out. So when Guardiola gives it loads, it is not just his own self-satisfaction at bringing this team back to winning trophies after an unacceptably long one-year hiatus.
It is about knowing that City could well be at the start of a new cycle. The first day of their £430million rebuild, in a way. That a young team has nudged themselves over the line, in the hope of far more evenings like this one. Just because this was the springboard in 2018 doesn’t necessarily mean that the same happens now but it’s certainly a decent thing to point the players towards.
Guardiola has constantly said in recent months that he has a feeling that City are not far away from where they want to be. That missed chances have hindered them and once those go in, they are a whole new proposition. He says that the players know what is missing and are working to correct it, part of an arc of improvement that newly assembled sides have to go through.
And that is why the performance against Arsenal, in a second half where they blew them away and the use of the ball that had Guardiola speechless, is so encouraging for the future. An academy kid who turned 21 on Saturday pops up with two goals, finishing moves that have been squandered in the recent past. Cherki controlling proceedings, although his juggling act mid-game drew a headshake from his boss. Abdukodir Khusanov a colossal, Antoine Semenyo threatening. Jeremy Doku taking more ownership.
These are signs that must please the management, especially when fixing problems as Arsenal suffocated them in the opening 20 minutes or so.
Nico O’Reilly scored a quickfire double in the second half to seize control of the final
The Spaniard was full of emotion at full-time, embracing his players and daughter (right)
‘I can smell how this team can flourish,’ Guardiola said. ‘I told the players we will see what our level is against the best. The first final they play for some of them. It was the same 10 years ago. You never know (how they will react). It’s an experience. That is good, they need it.
‘When a group of players win and win, it makes them think “ok we can do it”. But still we have to prove that we are the team we can be. We haven’t done that this season. That requires time. Hopefully next season we can do it.’
Guardiola poured cold water on how this victory might impact the title race, pointing out that Arsenal are nine points clear – bemoaning three draws at the turn of the year despite playing well. Regardless, Mikel Arteta admitted the manner of their defeat leaves a bad taste and it will be intriguing to see how they react once the international break is done.
Doku was asked in the wake of last week’s Champions League exit whether Arsenal’s continued participation in Europe can actually help City, who have free midweeks. ‘Maybe but we don’t care,’ he said and in fairness, there wasn’t a great deal else for him to opine.
But the result and the way that was crafted can do City no harm whatsoever. Just a glimmer, a flicker when entering the final stretch of a season that has shown promise. Wembley felt like the early Guardiola years, before the absolute domination. The guttural roar when O’Reilly gives everything to score that opener, a noise from a City end that has not been heard in this stadium, Etihad South, for some time.
They are seeing the emergence of fresh stars, new names to sing. While there have been bumps in the road, the possibilities for this squad, that will be refreshed again in the summer with a central midfielder and likely a right back, are endless. Guardiola knows that only too well.
