A Night to Remember at Etihad Stadium

In the world of football, post-match rituals often involve popping champagne corks, but for Plymouth Argyle's head coach Miron Muslic, it was a can of Fanta that marked his celebration with Manchester City's legendary manager, Pep Guardiola. This unique post-match scene unfolded after the FA Cup fifth-round tie at Etihad Stadium, where Manchester City came from behind to secure a 3-1 victory over Plymouth Argyle.

Muslic's Admiration for Guardiola

Muslic, who had previously shocked Liverpool in the FA Cup, expressed his deep admiration for Guardiola, considering him one of the greatest coaches in sports history. "We spent almost 45 minutes after the game in his office so the Fanta was ready for me and a big, big bottle of Italian wine was there for the staff," Muslic told BBC Sport. "We simply enjoyed the company and the hospitality of one of the greatest coaches in sports history. It was a remarkable experience."

Plymouth Argyle's Impressive Cup Run

Despite their defeat, Plymouth Argyle, who are second from bottom in the Championship, delivered an impressive performance against the reigning Premier League champions. They took the lead and only fell behind with 14 minutes remaining. This match marked the end of an amazing cup run for the second-tier strugglers, who had previously defeated Brentford and Liverpool in earlier rounds.

Building Connections for the Future

Muslic believes the connection he made with Guardiola could be beneficial for Plymouth Argyle in the future. "It's football, and this is a very small world. In the end, relationships and connections are very, very important," Muslic added. "Good people are always easy to connect with, so maybe this can also be a benefit for the future of Argyle."

Refocusing on the Championship

With their FA Cup journey concluded, Plymouth Argyle now shifts their focus back to the Championship. They face a crucial game against Hull City, which has significant relegation implications. Muslic is hopeful that the team can replicate the form they showed after their previous cup tie, where they followed their historic win over Liverpool with a 5-1 thrashing of Millwall.

The Impact of the FA Cup

"The FA Cup gave us a lot, and we should take all these good things, the benefit of the FA Cup, into this competition [the Championship]," Muslic concluded. "If we can manage to do this, we will be again very hard to play."