The final of another FA Cup final on Saturday saw a rather unexpected pairing. No, it is quite usual to see Manchester City in the decisive game of the tournament. Guardiola's team played in the final last year, which resulted in a loss to Manchester United. Yes and from a historical point of view, the "citizens" are quite titled in the main national cup. Manchester City won it seven times, and three victories were achieved in the last fifteen years. Crystal Palace have distinguished themselves in the FA Cup only by the fact that their stadium hosted the finals of the tournament from 1895-1914. The Glassmen themselves have achieved the right to fight for the title in the final for the first time in history.

Manchester City were overlooked 8-0 by Salford in the 1/32nd final of the current draw. The rivalry with Leyton Orient at the next stage could have ended miserably, but substitutes Husanov and De Bruyne secured a minimal victory for the then English champions - 2:1. The victory of the "citizens" in the next round was also a willful one. Plymouth were beaten 3-1. In the previous two stages Manchester City competed with Premier League clubs Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest, which they beat away - 2:1 and 2:0 respectively.

Crystal Palace made their way through the tournament more convincingly. After a 1/32 final victory over Stockport County with a score of 1:0, the "glassmakers" undid Doncaster - 2:0. In the 1/8 finals from fellow countrymen from Millwall Crystal Palace conceded the last goal in the tournament - 3:1. Meetings with Fulham and Aston Villa in the quarter-finals and semi-finals "glassware" unexpectedly won with a score of 3:0.

Despite the fact that the difference in class between the rivals in the final looks huge, Crystal Palace is not a "whipping boy". The London club has a squad whose value is estimated to be the 24th highest in world football. For example, the squads of Borussia Dortmund, Lazio, Napoli or Monaco are considered cheaper. In addition, Crystal Palace is in decent playing form, as evidenced by the current five-match unbeaten streak, during which almost all of the matches "glassers" faced clubs from the top 10 of the Premier League. Manchester City are in for a tough fight.