Manchester City have officially wrapped up a season to forget. Pep Guardiola’s side fell 1-0 to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup Final at Wembley, sealing a trophyless 2024/25 campaign—an unthinkable outcome for a club that has dominated English and European football in recent years.

Crystal Palace Pull Off the Shock of the Century

A single goal from Eberechi Eze, assisted by Jean-Philippe Mateta, was enough for Crystal Palace to secure their first major trophy in over a century. Despite City’s control of possession and multiple chances created, they were repeatedly denied by a rock-solid Palace defense and an inspired Dean Henderson, who even saved a penalty to preserve the lead.

City’s FA Cup heartbreak capped off a year where their ambitions of repeating the treble quickly unraveled into a season marked by frustration and failure.

A Year of Missed Opportunities

The FA Cup loss was just the final blow in a campaign full of setbacks:

• Premier League : Finished third, behind Arsenal and Liverpool, fading out of the title race in the final stretch.
• Champions League : Knocked out in the playoff round—part of the competition’s new format—after a costly defeat to Real Madrid.
• Carabao Cup : Eliminated early in the Round of 16 by Newcastle United, without showing real spark.

For a team used to collecting silverware annually, this season will go down as a wake-up call—and potentially a turning point.

Guardiola Yet to Speak as Uncertainty Looms

So far, Pep Guardiola has remained silent following the Wembley defeat. But the writing is on the wall: major changes are coming. With veterans like Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, and Jack Grealish reportedly set to leave, Manchester City face a crucial transfer window.

There will be no trophies at the Etihad this season. Rebuilding isn’t optional anymore—it’s essential.