Mateo Kovacic delivered a standout display in the two nil semi final win over Nottingham Forest, dictating tempo with effortless poise and earning player of the match honours.
Operating at the base of midfield, he completed ninety four per cent of passes and broke lines with disguised forward balls that repeatedly found Rico Lewis and Bernardo Silva between Forest markers.
Defensively the Croatian won seven duels and intercepted three counters, evidence of the tactical discipline Guardiola values in high stakes knockout football.
Analysts credit Kovacic’s influence on City’s recent switch to a box midfield, a structure that has tightened distances and protected the back line while freeing creative teammates.
Guardiola praised the thirty year old for mentoring younger colleagues, noting that Lewis and Oscar Bobb have absorbed his awareness of space and press resistance.
If Kovacic maintains this level in the final, City’s path to an eighth FA Cup may hinge less on individual brilliance up front and more on the Croatian’s silent command at the heart of midfield.
