City Boss Joins Arteta in Criticizing Tournament Equipment as Mitre Defends FIFA-Approved Ball
Pep Guardiola voiced his frustration with the FA Cup’s match ball after Manchester City staged a hard-fought comeback to defeat Plymouth Argyle 3-1 in the fifth round. Despite the victory, which secured City’s place in the quarter-finals, Guardiola took aim at the Mitre ball used in the competition, calling it difficult to control and inferior to those used in the Premier League and Champions League.
The Premier League champions had to dig deep to overcome their League One opponents, who stunned the Etihad Stadium with an early opener from Maksym Talovierov. However, a brace from Nico O’Reilly and a late strike from Kevin De Bruyne ensured City’s progression, setting up a quarter-final clash away at Bournemouth. Despite the win, Guardiola’s post-match comments focused on the ball, which he claimed impacted the quality of play.
“The ball in the Champions League is exceptional, the ball in the Premier League is exceptional, this one isn’t,” Guardiola said. “It’s difficult to control. When you lose, it sounds like you’re complaining, but the ball is not right. In many years, it’s happened in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup. I know it’s a business and they come to agreements, but you know how many shots went over? Look at other games. Normally, the ball goes inside from these shots.”
Guardiola’s criticism echoed that of his former assistant, Mikel Arteta, who labeled the Carabao Cup ball “tricky” after Arsenal’s semi-final exit to Newcastle in January. Arteta had highlighted the ball’s tendency to “fly a lot” and its different grip compared to the Premier League ball, issues that Guardiola also raised.
The FA Cup ball, manufactured by Mitre, has been a point of contention for some managers, though the Football Association defended its quality. A spokesperson for the FA told BBC Sport that the Mitre Ultimax Pro ball meets FIFA’s rigorous testing standards and has contributed to an exciting tournament. “Mitre’s Ultimax Pro ball – used in the Emirates FA Cup and all other FA competitions – has been tested in accordance with FIFA testing,” the spokesperson said. “All footballs in the professional game are required to meet the FIFA Quality Pro accreditation, and this ball delivers against all of the testing requirements.”
The spokesperson added, “We understand that preference is subjective, but we’re confident that the ball performs well. With over 350 goals scored in the knockout competition so far, it provides an exciting element to such a competitive tournament.”
While Guardiola’s complaints may raise eyebrows, his focus will now shift to the quarter-finals, where City will face Bournemouth as they continue their pursuit of a domestic double. For Plymouth, their FA Cup journey may be over, but their spirited performance against one of the world’s best teams will be remembered as a valiant effort.
As the debate over the FA Cup ball continues, one thing is certain: Guardiola’s relentless pursuit of perfection remains undiminished, even in victory.
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