Chelsea star shares Guardiola’s advice ahead of FA Cup final
Chelsea midfielder Romeo Lavia has highlighted the advice he received from Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola as the Blues prepare to face City in the FA Cup final. Lavia, who first caught Guardiola’s attention during a youth tournament while playing for Anderlecht, emphasizes the impact of the City boss on his development, reports BritPanorama.
Despite the notoriety of Kevin De Bruyne as one of the most outstanding midfielders in Premier League history, Guardiola encouraged Lavia to focus on being “unseen.” Lavia recalled, “If I could give you one example of advice he gave me it was to be the one that is unseen.”
This philosophy draws parallels to former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Sergio Busquets, with Lavia stating, “If you watch the game you don’t see Busquets, but if you watch Busquets you see the game.” This approach aims to enhance team dynamics by making teammates more effective, an insight Lavia attributes directly to Guardiola.
Since joining Chelsea from Southampton in 2023 for a fee approaching £58 million, Lavia’s time in London has been hindered by injury setbacks, limiting his appearances to 43. Reflecting on his relationship with Guardiola, he commented, “He is an incredible manager, and I learned so much ever since I joined and not even from when I was with the first team. He would regularly come to the academy games and give feedback, not necessarily directly, but to the coaches that we had at the time.”
Chelsea’s tumultuous season has seen both Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior depart from managerial roles. Lavia acknowledged that the team bears some responsibility for these changes but disputed claims of player disengagement under Rosenior’s tenure. “It’s tough to hear because you know the work that you put in every single day,” he emphasized.
While lifting the FA Cup would not erase the challenges of the season, Lavia conveys the team’s desire for success. “For this team, we want to win every competition we are in, so obviously we are disappointed. We have to make the most of what’s left. To finish with a trophy would be amazing.” The upcoming final also offers a personal touch as he looks forward to reconnecting with former teammates and his ex-manager.
In these moments, the blurred lines between past loyalties and current ambitions render football that much more captivating. As Chelsea takes the pitch against Manchester City, the echoes of Guardiola’s lessons resonate, reminding us that sometimes the unseen contributions can make all the difference in the pursuit of glory.
