Wembley Holds Greater Significance for Bournemouth than Man City: Iraola on FA Cup Quarter-Final

Synopsis

AFC Bournemouth's head coach, Andoni Iraola, believes reaching Wembley for the FA Cup is paramount for his team, more so than for Manchester City. With their history of quarter-final exits, Bournemouth aims to seize a rare opportunity while hoping for key player returns ahead of their crucial match.

Key Takeaways

Bournemouth aims for Wembley more than City.
Cherries have never won the FA Cup.
Marcos Senesi could return to the squad.
Only third quarter-final appearance for Bournemouth.
Iraola emphasizes the importance of the match.

Bournemouth, March 28 (NationPress) As AFC Bournemouth aims for a potential journey to the legendary Wembley Stadium, the venue renowned for hosting the final and semi-finals of the prestigious FA Cup, head coach Andoni Iraola asserts that his team desires the opportunity more than Manchester City, who are eyeing their eighth consecutive presence in the semi-finals of this tournament.

Not only is Bournemouth among the four teams left in the competition that have yet to win the FA Cup, but they are also the only remaining team that has never reached the semi-final stage.

Sunday will represent only the third occasion that the Cherries have participated in an FA Cup quarter-final match. In previous attempts, Bournemouth, playing as Boscombe Athletic, faced defeats: 2-1 to Manchester United in 1957 and 3-0 to Southampton in 2021.

"I believe we have a significant opportunity this weekend; anyone stepping onto the pitch must be prepared to give their all, although that might not suffice to overcome City. The effort required from everyone is immense, but the chance to play at Wembley is far more substantial for us than it is for them, as they frequent the venue often," said Iraola.

Iraola also mentioned that Marcos Senesi could rejoin the squad ahead of this crucial encounter.

Senesi has been sidelined due to injury since the 4-2 victory over Wolves at Molineux, but he has resumed training with teammates during this international break. While the Argentine's return to fitness is a boost for the Cherries, Iraola remains uncertain if he can manage a full 90-minute match just yet.

Additionally, Iraola provided updates on Julian Araujo and Adam Smith.

"All players who were with their national teams have returned and trained today. We’ve had a couple of productive weeks working with Marcos and Julián. Adam is beginning to participate more, so overall, we have received good news. Although Marcos cannot play a full 90 minutes at this moment, he will be in the squad and can contribute to our efforts," he concluded.