- Clubs playing in the FA Cup wear sleeve patch featuring sponsors Emirates
- City have long had an exemption because of their Etihad sponsorship deal
- It’s about survival! FA Cup replays must remain for the good of English football – It’s All Kicking Off
Manchester City will once again refuse to wear Emirates sleeve patches in their FA Cup fixtures this season because of a clash with sponsor Etihad.
The competition is sponsored by Emirates, the Dubai-based airline, and City begin their defence of the trophy at home to Huddersfield Town on Sunday afternoon.
Teams playing in the FA Cup typically wear a rectangular red patch on one sleeve bearing the competition logo and Emirates branding.
City were given an exemption from wearing the patch when Emirates became the FA Cup’s sponsor in 2015 because their sponsors Etihad, based in Abu Dhabi, are a direct rival in the aviation industry.
In May’s final, City didn’t wear the red Emirates patches whereas rivals Manchester United did. City won the game 2-1 to take the second leg of their Treble.
Manchester City don’t wear the Emirates FA Cup sleeve patch when they play in the competition as it clashes with their main shirt sponsor Etihad, a rival airline
Manchester United players wearing the Emirates patch during last year’s FA Cup final
Pep Guardiola had little choice but to give Friday’s press conference previewing City’s third round tie with Huddersfield Town in front of a red Emirates backdrop
In the 2019 final, when City thrashed Watford 6-0, they took a cheeky dig at Emirates by changing the wording of their front-of-shirt sponsor from ‘Etihad Airways’ to ‘Choose Etihad’.
But City cannot avoid the bright red Emirates branding around the competition entirely, with manager Pep Guardiola giving his pre-match press conference on Friday in front of such a backdrop.
Emirates was also emblazoned on the blue ribbons attached to the FA Cup trophy when they celebrated their Wembley win last year.
City will start Sunday’s third round tie as strong favourites against a Huddersfield side just one place above the relegation zone in the Championship.
Guardiola could be without midfielder Rodri and striker Erling Haaland for the meeting with the Terriers.
Rodri could miss the game following the death of his grandmother, while Haaland hasn’t played since December 6 because of a foot injury.
In their 2019 FA Cup final win over Watford, City had ‘Choose Etihad’ on their shirts
Everton’s Arnaut Danjuma sports the Emirates patch at Crystal Palace on Thursday night
Midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and winger Jeremy Doku are back in training following injury but Guardiola could hold them back for next Saturday’s Premier League game with Newcastle.
The City boss added Bernardo Silva, Kalvin Phillips, Matheus Nunes and Scott Carson were all struggling with illness.
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