Guardiola did not believe Manchester City could defeat Arsenal

Coach Pep Guardiola admitted that even he did not think Manchester City could beat Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final, as his team ended their opponent's dream of achieving a "quadruple."

The 2-0 victory at Wembley helped Manchester City secure their fifth League Cup title, while also providing significant confidence for the young squad Guardiola is building.

The standout player of the match was Nico O'Reilly, a product of Manchester City's academy, who scored a brace to defeat the Premier League leaders. After the match, Guardiola lavished praise on his pupil.

"No one, including myself, dared to bet even a pound on today's victory," Guardiola shared. "Arsenal has been in impressive form, while we couldn't beat Nottingham Forest at home or West Ham away. We also lost to Real Madrid with an aggregate score of 1-5. Very few believed we could achieve this, but the players, especially the newcomers, once again proved otherwise."

The Spanish coach believes this victory could serve as a stepping stone for the future: "I can sense this team will grow stronger. I told the players we would see our true level when facing the strongest teams. For many, this was their first career final, just like ten years ago. You never know how they will react, but this experience is essential. When a group wins consistently, they start believing they can do it. But we still have to prove it. We are not yet the complete team we aspire to be. That requires time, and hopefully by the end of this season or next, we will achieve it."

On the other side, manager Mikel Arteta could not hide his disappointment: "This is a very painful defeat, especially for the players and fans, because we understand how significant this trophy is. Not being able to bring it back clearly disappoints everyone and leaves a very bad feeling."

Regarding the decision to use Kepa Arrizabalaga—who made an error leading to the first goal—Arteta expressed no regret: "I made the choice based on what he has shown throughout the season and his contribution in the journey to the final. It would be very unfair to choose someone else."

The Spanish strategist affirmed that Arsenal will turn this pain into motivation: "We will transform this defeat into a fire to drive us toward the two most fantastic months ahead. Now is the time to endure the pain and disappointment; that is part of football."