Guardiola’s focus on extending FA Cup record | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola says he is not looking beyond trying to extend a remarkable run in the FA Cup by reaching the semi-finals for a seventh consecutive season.

City travel to Bournemouth on Sunday for a tough sixth round clash at the Vitality Stadium with the kick-off at 16:30 (UK).

The squad returned from international duty this week ahead of the final months of the season, with nine more Premier League matches remaining along with our FA Cup campaign.

And Guardiola says the targets are simple with a place in next season’s Champions League to fight for, but that the immediate focus is on facing a dangerous Cherries side.

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“To reach the semi-final of the FA Cup for the seventh time in a row - this is the target,” he said in his pre-match news conference.

“After that, win games to qualify for the Champions League next season. Win against Bournemouth then after we will prepare for Leicester [on Wednesday] - this is the target.

“We achieved the record last season to reach semi-finals six seasons in a row. That shows how important it is to arrive in this competition.

“We take it seriously like we took the Carabao Cup in the past to win four in a row. The results we don’t know but we have to take it seriously. To try to reach Wembley will be nice.”

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While the City boss wants to secure a return to Wembley in the last-four of the competition, most of the recent winners have already been knocked out.

Of the other seven teams left, only three have previously lifted the trophy, with the most recent wins being Nottingham Forest in 1959, Aston Villa in 1957 and Preston in 1938.

Bournemouth are aiming to reach the final for the first time in their history and Guardiola says it shows the strength of English football that there are so many clubs competing for silverware.

“That proves how good they are,” he said. “We see it every week in the Premier League and they prove again in the FA Cup. That’s good.

“Always I remember when I was at Barcelona and Bayern [Munich] that in England every team can beat every team.

“Liverpool have done amazing in the Premier League but for the rest of the teams, anything can happen.”

City were beaten for the first time this season by Bournemouth back in November when we lost 2-1 at the Vitality Stadium.

Andoni Iraola’s are among the sides challenging for the Champions League spots and Guardiola is expecting another tough encounter.

“They have a specific way to play and it works,” he said. “They have had a really good season so far and they have quality players and the ideas that they have.

“It would be boring if every team played in the same way in all the leagues. They have a specific way and they do it really well.

“We have to read the game. They were our first defeat in the Premier League this season.”