Guardiola Blames FA Cup Ball for City’s Off-Target Shots
Guardiola Blames FA Cup Ball After 20 Off-Target Shots
- Guardiola has joined the debate over the quality of balls used in England's domestic cup competitions
- The Premier League uses Nike balls
- Despite the off-target shots, Manchester City managed to score three goals
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has joined the debate over the quality of balls used in England’s domestic cup competitions, criticizing the Mitre balls used in the FA Cup.
The Premier League uses Nike balls, the Champions League uses Adidas, the Europa League uses Kipsta, and the EFL Cup uses Puma balls.
In response, a Football Association spokesperson defended the Mitre Ultimax Pro ball, stating, “Mitre’s Ultimax Pro ball – used in the Emirates FA Cup and all other FA competitions – has been tested in accordance with Fifa testing. 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. Alongside Mitre, 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.”
Despite the off-target shots, Manchester City managed to score three goals from their 29 total attempts, with nine on target.
