Marc Guéhi has branded his FA Cup journey as “crazy” after a rollercoaster 12 months in the competition.
The England defender captained Crystal Palace to victory in the final over Manchester City a year ago.
In January, he was on the receiving end of one of the biggest FA Cup shocks ever when holders Palace were knocked out by non-league Macclesfield Town.
He left Palace to join City later the same month and is now preparing for another final when Pep Guardiola’s team take on Chelsea on Saturday.
“I feel like my football life is just crazy,” Guéhi said.
“There’s no, how can I say, consistency to it. It’s just very unpredictable, to be honest. And it’s quite fun to be honest. But yeah, it’s very interesting. I’m glad to be given the opportunity to play in such a prestigious final again.
“And for this football club, I know how much it means to them to win trophies, especially the FA Cup. It’s a really big thing for the football club and I’m glad to be involved in it.”
Guéhi will face one his former clubs at Wembley after starting his career at Chelsea.
Despite having limited opportunities at Stamford Bridge, the 25-year-old insists he has nothing to prove against his former employers.
“That’s not my mentality,” he said.
“I completely understand people that have that thought process. I completely understand. But I’ve got nothing but gratitude towards Chelsea.
“I don’t feel like I should be gifted any opportunities or even deserve any opportunities. I think for me it was more of a realistic decision [to leave].
“I think the club understood that and I think everyone should understand that. I came off the back of a loan at Swansea.
“I was really successful and the football club just won the Champions League. And so for a young man to come in and say ‘I should be playing or deserve minutes’ I think it’d be kind of ridiculous.”
Guéhi has made an impressive start to his City career after arriving from Palace in January.
He’s been a key part of the push to reel in Arsenal at the top of the table, although it was his mistake at Everton which contributed to a damaging 3-3 draw at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
“I mean, it’s inevitable that someone’s going to make a mistake at some point,” Guéhi said.
“I think having that togetherness manifesting is really important in any situation. So I think it’s just a really good trait of the group that we have.
“I think you get to see people’s real characters and relationships when times are most difficult.
“And I think in difficult moments, that’s where you’ve seen each of us come to the fold and showing our togetherness and showing what it means to each and every one of us in these moments.”
