Manchester City booked their place in yet another FA Cup final with a composed 2–0 victory over Nottingham Forest at Wembley Stadium, and while the team’s performance was impressive, one player earned special praise from manager Pep Guardiola after the match.

City, who have endured a more challenging season than usual, now have the chance to end the campaign on a high when they return to London next month to face Crystal Palace. Despite the ups and downs of the 2024/25 season, Kovacic has been a rare model of consistency since his £30 million move from Chelsea, and his performance against Forest showcased exactly why Guardiola values him so highly.

After the match, Guardiola was full of admiration for the Croatian midfielder, stating:

“Yes. The last three or four games have been extraordinary. We are lucky to have time to recover, he plays in the week. Players cannot play with three days (rest). The quality that he has, the composure, is extraordinary.”

Kovacic, who was named Man of the Match, completely bossed the midfield throughout the afternoon. He was constantly available for a pass, dictated the tempo, and frequently carried the ball forward with authority. His calmness under pressure gave City total control during the first half, as Forest struggled to get any foothold in the game.

Statistically, Kovacic’s dominance was clear: he had 109 touches, just one fewer than Ruben Dias, who had the most, and contested 13 duels, winning seven of them. Only Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White contested more duels overall.

Moreover, this season has seen Kovacic achieve his best-ever goalscoring return, with seven goals across competitions, highlighting a new attacking dimension to his game that has proven crucial in Rodri’s injury-enforced absences.

There were even recent reports linking the Croatian international with a potential move to Atletico Madrid, but performances like this will only convince Guardiola and City’s hierarchy to ensure he remains an important part of their future plans.