Pep Guardiola is requesting a rule change from the English Football League to permit Marc Guehi to participate in the upcoming Carabao Cup final. The 25-year-old centre-back, who joined Manchester City from Crystal Palace in January, currently remains ineligible for the competition due to eligibility restrictions governing mid-season acquisitions.
Guehi was unable to feature during City’s 5-1 aggregate victory over Newcastle in the semi-final second leg on Wednesday and similarly cannot play against Arsenal on 22 March at Wembley. Competition regulations stipulate that players must have joined their clubs before the winter transfer window closure or the semi-final’s first leg, whichever comes first, to be eligible for participation.
Guardiola expressed frustration with these restrictions, stating he cannot understand why the rule prevents Guehi from competing in the final. The manager emphasized the illogical nature of prohibiting a player he invested substantial funds to sign from appearing in a major match. He questioned why the player cannot contribute to his team’s campaign when he represents the club and receives his salary from them.
The situation contrasts with another January signing, Antoine Semenyo, who arrived four days before City’s trip to Newcastle for the semi-final first leg. Semenyo’s earlier arrival allowed him eligibility to play in that match, where he scored. Guardiola pointed to this discrepancy as evidence that the current regulations lack coherent justification and warrant reconsideration by tournament officials.
City has already benefited from one rule modification this season that permitted players to feature for two different teams within the same competition, eliminating traditional cup-tie restrictions. This adjustment enabled both Semenyo and Max Alleyne to participate in semi-final matches despite representing Bournemouth and Watford respectively in earlier rounds. Guardiola remains hopeful the EFL will implement similar flexibility regarding Guehi’s participation, though he acknowledges the likelihood of rejection.
