During this weekend’s FA Cup Round of 16, Pep Guardiola sparked controversy with strong remarks about the quality of the soccer balls used in the competition. Following his comments, the Football Association (FA) issued a statement addressing the Manchester City manager’s claims.
Manchester City secured a 3-1 victory over Plymouth Argyle at the Etihad Stadium, booking their place in the quarterfinals. However, in the aftermath of the match, Guardiola voiced his concerns about the ball’s quality, attributing it to his team’s lack of accuracy:
“There’s one action with Phil (Foden) where he curls it to the far post, and normally, with the way they shoot, the ball makes an out-inside movement, but this one just went away. When you lose and say that, it’s seen as a complaint, but the ball is not proper. It’s been this way for many years in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup. I know it’s a business, and agreements are made, but the ball is not good,” Guardiola stated in his post-match press conference.
The City boss continued his criticism, comparing the FA Cup ball to those used in other competitions: “You know how many shots went over the post? Not just Erling (Haaland)’s – look at other games. I’ve said it for many years. It’s the truth. The Champions League ball is exceptional, the Premier League is exceptional, this one is not good.”
Manchester City struggled with their finishing throughout the match, with many shots failing to hit the target. Of their 29 total attempts, 10 were blocked, one hit the post, 10 missed the target, and only nine were on goal—an unusually low accuracy rate for a team filled with elite players.
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FA issues statement in response to Guardiola
Guardiola’s remarks quickly went viral, prompting the FA to release an official response. While they did not directly mention the City manager, they defended the ball’s quality and dismissed his claims.
“Mitre’s Ultimax Pro ball — used in the Emirates FA Cup and all other FA Competitions — has been tested in accordance with FIFA testing. All soccer balls in the professional game are required to meet the FIFA Quality pro accreditation, and this ball delivers against all of the testing requirements. Alongside Mitre, we understand that preference is subjective,” an FA spokesperson stated.
“But we’re confident that the ball performs well. With over 350 goals scored in the knockout competition so far, it provides an exciting element to such a competitive tournament,” the statement concluded, emphasizing the ball’s high standards and dismissing Guardiola’s claims.
