Why Marc Guehi Can’t Play League Cup Final but Antoine Semenyo Can

Pep Guardiola was handed two new signings in the January transfer window, with both Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi adding valuable Premier League experience to Manchester City’s squad depth.

The decision to bring in the pair from Bournemouth and Crystal Palace has already been partly vindicated by the 5-1 rout of Newcastle United – a result that booked the Cityzens’ latest trip to Wembley Stadium as they chase a fifth League Cup under Guardiola.

With Arsenal securing a 1-0 win over London rivals Chelsea on Tuesday to seal a 4-2 aggregate victory, the two sides currently setting the pace in the Premier League will meet in the final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, March 22. Strangely, though, while Guardiola will be able to call on Semenyo, the Spaniard won’t be able to field Guehi, who is ineligible under the arches.

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Why Marc Guehi Won’t Feature in Carabao Cup Final

Guehi isn’t eligible to play for Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final because he didn’t join the club until after the first leg of the semi-final had already taken place. The EFL’s Rule 6.4 states:

After months of speculation linking him to several Premier League sides, Semenyo joined City from Bournemouth on January 9 in a deal reportedly worth £65 million. Just four days later, the winger started and scored in City’s 2-0 win over Newcastle in the first leg of the semi-final at St James’ Park.

With that opening leg complete, City then turned their attention to securing Crystal Palace captain Guehi, who joined the club on January 19 in a deal worth an initial £20 million. It’s that ten-day gap that will deny the Englishman his first shot at a trophy with his new club, despite having already lifted two finals at the Home of Football in 2025 with Palace – the FA Cup and the Community Shield.

Man City To Lobby EFL To Allow Guehi To Play

After Wednesday night’s match, Guardiola said the club intends to write to the English Football League to request a rule change that would allow Guehi to play in the final. “Hopefully we can convince the Carabao Cup that Marc can play in this competition [in] the final,” Guardiola told Sky Sports after the match.

Speaking minutes later at his post-match press conference, Guardiola joked that City were unlikely to be successful, according to The Athletic. Asked what the competition organiser was likely to say to City’s request, he replied: “‘No’. To change the rule, no way. But we will try!” I said to the club they have to ask [the EFL], yeah definitely.

The Catalan added: “I don’t understand the reason why he (Guehi) cannot play in the final of the Carabao Cup. In March he will have been here for a long time. The rules to buy players does not depend on me, it depends on FIFA or UEFA or the Premier League to say the transfer window is open, if you buy a player he has to play in the competitions, it’s logic.

“I don’t understand why he could not play today and in the final in two months’ time, of course we are going to ask if he can play, it’s pure logic. Why should he not play? Why not? We pay his salary, we hire him, he’s our player, why should he not play? It’s quite similar in the Champions League, right? In the last two games [of the initial phase] he could not play.

“They make the rule when the transfer window is open or closed, so when it closes if you have a player and tomorrow you have a game, he can play, no? Why shouldn’t he? So hopefully he can play in the final.”