Arjun Menon
Guardiola’s Frustration Over Cup-Tied Rule
Pep Guardiola insists Marc Guéhi should be eligible for Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final—but the EFL has shut the door on that possibility. The England defender is cup-tied after appearing three times for Crystal Palace earlier in the competition, a rule Guardiola calls illogical.
Yet the situation isn’t as simple as it seems. This season, the EFL relaxed its cup-tied rules to allow players to feature for two clubs in the Carabao Cup. Guéhi, however, missed the cutoff by seven days—he signed for City after the first leg of their semi-final win over Newcastle.
That makes him the only player affected by the rule this season.
“Pure logic says he should be able to play,” Guardiola told reporters. “But the rules are the rules.”
The EFL has no plans to bend them now—especially with Arsenal waiting in the final.
Why the Rules Changed—and Why Guéhi Fell Through the Cracks
Until this season, once a player appeared in the Carabao Cup, they were cup-tied for the rest of the tournament. The rule, designed to protect competition integrity, had grown outdated as transfer windows limited player movement.
Following UEFA’s lead—who scrapped cup-tied rules in 2018—the EFL and FA relaxed their policies. The FA Cup now allows players to represent two clubs, with no cutoff date beyond the winter transfer window. The Carabao Cup followed suit—but with a key difference: the deadline was set at the first semi-final leg.
Guéhi’s transfer fell just outside that window. Had he signed from a European club or not played for Palace, he’d have been eligible. Instead, he’s stuck watching from the sidelines.
Also read: Arsenal’s Wembley Moment: Can the Gunners Finally Shake the ‘Nearly-Men’ Label?
A Rule in Flux
The EFL has already tweaked the rule once this season. Originally, it only covered players loaned out from their parent club—not those recalled. Chelsea’s Marc Guiu fell into that gray area after scoring for Sunderland before being brought back to Stamford Bridge. The EFL later clarified that recalled players could also feature for two clubs.
Guardiola’s gripe? The cutoff date feels arbitrary. “If the FA Cup has no deadline, why does the Carabao Cup?” he asked. The EFL maintains the rules were clear from the start—but that won’t ease the frustration for City as they prepare for Arsenal at Wembley on 22 March.