Former Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta has described the club’s 2011 FA Cup semi-final win over arch-rivals Manchester United as one of his greatest days in a sky blue jersey.
Yaya Toure got the only goal of the game as the club went on to beat Stoke City in the final - courtesy of another Toure strike - and lift their first piece of silverware in 35 years. The victory over United lives long in Zabaleta’s memory, having arrived at the Eithad three years earlier.
Speaking to the club’s official website, the 37-year-old said: “That game (against Manchester United) is one of my greatest memories as a City player. We got to the semi-final at Wembley against Manchester United, we won the game and then went on to win the FA Cup.
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“I think mentally the final was against United, no disrespect to Stoke City. You could really see the atmosphere before the game.” The former Argentina international recognised the process the club had to go through before they were able to lift a long-awaited trophy.
“It took two years to build a strong team,” he added. “You don’t do that only using the big names, but you need that winning mentality.” The club have since won another FA Cup, thrashing Watford 6-0 to lift the trophy again in 2019.
Zabaleta would go on to win two Premier League titles, scoring the opener in the famous final day 3-2 victory over QPR in the 2011/12 season. After a nine-year stay at City, the 2014 World Cup finalist secured a move to West Ham.
He will be forever remembered by fans for his role in City’s rise, and has been affectionately branded by the club as an 'adopted Mancunian'. As well as enjoying punditry, Zabaleta has also helped the Cityzens Giving initiative which helps communities all over the world.
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