FA Cup: City and United compete for the oldest cup in the world – 02/06/2023 – Sport

Manchester City and Manchester United meet this Saturday (3) for the first time in an FA Cup final. The tournament is the second most important cup in English football (after the Premier League) and is the oldest football championship in the world still in dispute. It has been played since the 1871/1872 season, with the victory of Wanderers Football Club – a successful club until the 1880s.

The final will be played at the also iconic Wembley Stadium, which celebrates 100 years as the venue for FA Cup matches. Kickoff will be at 11 am (Brasília time), broadcast by ESPN and Star +.

The first decisive game at the stadium was between Bolton and West Ham and caused quite a stir. Many people were on the lawn, which prevented the start of the final. Even the players, who were trying to ask people to get out of there, were caught in the crowd.

The fans were dispersed only after the mounted police entered. The image of a gray horse, known as Billie (or Billy), gave the name to the game: ”White horse final”, the final of the white horse – the animal was not white, but was so called because of the high contrast of the photos in black and white.

Bolton won 2-0.

Today, the biggest winner of the tournament is Arsenal, with 14 titles. Manchester United are behind with 12, while City have six. The team comes packed in this final stretch of the season after winning the Premier League and qualifying for the Champions League final with a 4-0 defeat at Real Madrid. The continental dispute, against Inter (ITA), will be a week after the FA Cup. The European Cup is the most coveted title of the management of the Abu Dhabi United Group, which bought City in 2008.

The FA Cup has a strong role in rebuilding the club. The trophy raised in the 2010/2011 season was the first title after the purchase, 33 years after the last achievement. Since then, there have been fifteen important trophies, with seven English championships.

“I’ve seen a lot of investments since I arrived. I think bringing Robinho from Real Madrid was the transfer that changed what the team wanted to be seen. He was a great player, from a great club, coming to show how the new investment was going to be. every day there was something changing at the club too: we saw new equipment for the gym, new rooms, improved facilities and all that. They were clear that they wanted to reach the top”, recalls former Brazilian defender Glauber Berti, signed by the team in 2008 .

“At first I had my doubts because things in football take time. But they managed to keep their word and have now built a dynasty in English football,” he says.

In London, there is great anticipation for the game.

For Manchester United, winning the FA Cup, right against City, is a hope of returning to the glory days. The team led by Erik ten Hag gained strength this season, ensuring the return to the Champions League and being champion of the English League Cup, the third most important football title in the country.

The Premier League has not been won by the Red Devils since 2012/2013, and the last FA Cup was in 2015/2016.

“We’ve fought very hard during the season at Old Trafford and away. But there’s still a game to go and I’m sure these players will give everything to beat Manchester City. [fãs] support us, I’m sure we have a good chance of taking the cup back to Old Trafford”, said the coach on the eve of the match.

The title can crown a season that had troubled moments. One of them was in November last year, when the coach was appointed as one of the pivots in the departure of Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo from the club.

Queen’s End

The weight of the FA Cup, despite the importance for each of the teams, is no longer the same as it used to be, analyzes the journalist Matt Barlow, of the Daily Mail. He claims that many editions of the tournament were historic and says that, despite the strength of a United v City, the 1952/1953 final exemplifies the golden age of the tournament.

“Yes, 1953 is the greatest edition. Stanley Matthew is one of England’s greatest players. He was the greatest at the time, but his career was ruined by WWII. He played for Stoke City and then Blackpool. He was 38 years old. in 1953 and never won any major trophies and this was their last chance. Blackpool trailed 3-1 but secured a 4-3 comeback in a great game from Matthews,” he said.

“It’s a great romantic story because finally Matthews won. But more than that, it was the year of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation and many people bought a TV for the first time to watch it, so this was the first FA Cup final that lots of people watched it. And it was an amazing game, with an amazing story. This was the golden age of the FA Cup.”

Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation took place a month after the final, on June 4, 1953. It was she who presented the player with the winning medal.

“For years, the FA Cup Final was the only game on TV. All these stories and many more made it the biggest competition. People loved it. Now it’s become less important for clubs because it’s more money and prestige to win the Premier League. League or the Champions League. It’s not the only game on TV anymore. There are hundreds of games. So it’s lost some of its magic, unfortunately,” argued Barlow.

where to watch

• Manchester United vs Manchester City
• 11 am (Brasília time)
• ESPN and Star+