Manchester City defender Oleksandr Zinchenko has described the chance to play in Saturday's FA Cup final as a "dream" and says winning it is just as important as being crowned Premier League champions.
Having seen off Liverpool's challenge to retain the Premier League title on Sunday, Pep Guardiola's side now have the chance to create more history this weekend.
Should City beat Watford in Saturday's Wembley showpiece they will become the first English team to win a domestic treble of league and both cup competitions having also collected the League Cup trophy in February.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling to be honest, to play at that stadium, in the final and to go to fight for a title," Zinchenko said. "A final is always special, and we can’t wait for that."
The 22-year-old Ukraine international could be in line for a starting berth after proving a more than capable understudy for first-choice left-back Benjamin Mendy, who has endured another injury-hit campaign.
The Frenchman started the semi-final against Brighton & Hove Albion last month but Zinchenko was preferred for the title run-in as City put together a 14-match win streak to pip Liverpool by a single point.
Should Zinchenko, who joined City from Ufa in his homeland in 2016, get the nod it would help him fulfill a life-long dream.
"For me, when I was younger, the cup was just as important as the Premier League," he said. "I don’t know how other players think about it but for me it’s like this. I would dream of playing at a high level, I didn’t realise that I would be here and getting ready for an FA Cup final. It’s a dream.”
Adding an FA Cup winner's medal to his collection would cap what has undoubtedly been a breakout season for Zinchenko, whose attitude and perseverance has impressed the City coaching staff.
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Manchester City celebrate title with fans at Etihad Stadium
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After an underwhelming 2016/17 season spent on loan at PSV Eindhoven, Zinchenko returned to City the following campaign but was often overlooked in favour of Fabian Delph when Mendy suffered a long-term knee injury.
He reportedly turned down a move to promoted club Wolves at the start of the current campaign and in February he starred as City destroyed Chelsea 6-0 in the league, contributing two assists, and then put in an accomplished performance in the League Cup final as City prevailed in a penalty shoot-out.
Zinchenko was the only City player to feature in every round of that League Cup success, and said the chance to play another final at Wembley would be yet another career highlight.
“It’s a special stadium with a special atmosphere," he said. "I’ve played there against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final and the atmosphere was incredible. The stadium is special no matter who you are playing against."
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Manchester City squad ratings
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Pep Guardiola: 10/10. The Catalan is surely the finest manager in club football. Has taken City to new heights, securing an unprecedented English treble of Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup in a single season. AFP -
Claudio Bravo: 5/10. The Chilean has fallen way down the pecking order at City behind Ederson and Arijanet Muric. Made only one appearance this season in the curtain-raising Community Shield win over Chelsea. Reuters -
Ederson: 8/10. Twenty clean sheets for the Brazilian who also registered an assist for Sergio Aguero in the 6-1 rout of Huddersfield in the second game of the season. Getty Images -
Kyle Walker: 7/10. Few can match the flying right-back for pace or determination. Lacks the quality on the ball of his chief rivals in the national team Kieran Trippier and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Reuters -
Danilo: 6/10. On the periphery for most of the season, making only 10 Premier League appearances. The Brazilian remains an able squad player who can fill in at full-back or defensive midfield if required. Getty Images -
Vincent Kompany: 8/10. The Belgian proved with his thunderous strike against Leicester City in the run-in that he is still the man for the big occasion. A club legend who on Sunday announces he will leave the club after 11 seasons. Reuters -
John Stones: 6/10. A stop-start season due to niggling injuries but the Englishman formed a formidable early-season partnership alongside Aymeric Laporte. Reuters -
Aymeric Laporte: 9/10. Manchester City's best defender this season. Has hardly put a foot wrong since joining from Athletic Bilbao for £57 million in January 2018. The heir to Kompany's throne. EPA -
Benjamin Mendy: 5/10. The French left-back has suffered another season disrupted by injury. Off-field antics have not always impressed his manager but no doubt Mendy is a one-man flank down City's left when fit. Reuters -
Nicolas Otamendi: 5/10. The no-nonsense Argentine has slipped down the pecking order due to the form of Stones and Laporte. An able back-up though. Reuters -
Ilkay Gundogan: 7/10. Has the short-passing game and on-field intelligence so admired by Guardiola in his central midfielders. Chipped in with some important performances and goals, including a peach for City's final of the campaign against Brighton. Reuters -
Kevin de Bruyne: 6/10. The Belgian metronome has suffered an injury-hit campaign restricting him to just 19 appearances. It says something of City's achievement that they won the title largely without their best player. Reuters -
Fabian Delph: 5/10. The Englishman found his appearances limited this season despite the long-term injuries to Benjamin Mendy and Kevin de Bruyne. Reuters -
Bernardo Silva: 10/10. A personal view is that the Portuguese winger should have scooped all the individual player awards this season. Operates to devastating affect anywhere across the midfield and wide forward positions. Regularly tops the charts for most kilometres covered in a game and epitomises his manager's work ethic. Reuters -
David Silva: 8/10. The Spanish maestro's influence on the team was overshadowed by namesake Bernardo but still continues to be a mainstay in one of the best attacking teams in Europe. AFP -
Fernandinho: 8/10. The one player City struggle to replace. The Brazilian may have a contend for the best holding midfielder in the league in compatriot Fabinho but still offers outstanding protection to his defence. Reuters -
Oleksandr Zinchenko: 7/10. The main beneficiary of Mendy's injury problems. The Ukraine lacks the quality of the Frenchman's passing and crossing but like his teammate looks to get forward at every opportunity. Was outstanding in the League Cup final shoot-out win over Chelsea after an early mistake. Reuters -
Phil Foden: 8/10. The young Englishman established himself in Guardiola's plans this season and scored the only goal in the win over Tottenham Hotspur after suffering elimination from the Champions League to the Londoners. Living up to the hype and will push the likes of David Silva for more first-team opportunities next term. Reuters -
Riyad Mahrez: 6/10. City's record signing has struggled to replicate the form he showed over the past two seasons at Leicester City. Substituted at half-time during the FA Cup final despite City being 2-0 up. AFP -
Raheem Sterling: 10/10. A return of 17 league goals and 10 assists does not do justice to the fine form of the young English forward. Has developed into an excellent finisher. Often derided for poor decision-making in games in the past. That criticism no longer applies. His two goals in the FA Cup final only added gloss to a tremendous individual campaign in which he was also voted PFA Player of the Year. Reuters -
Leroy Sane: 8/10. There is a nagging sense that Guardiola does not have full faith in the electric German winger. But Sane is a game-changer, as his 10 goals and as many assists attest to. Reuters -
Sergio Aguero: 10/10. The Argentine is a guarantor of goals and once again passed the 20 mark in a league campaign. Records continue to tumble for Aguero at City. There is no better finisher in the league. EPA -
Gabriel Jesus: 7/10. The Brazilian is an understudy to the prolific Aguero but his team ethic - never more on display than in the FA Cup final rout of Watford - makes him a Guardiola favourite. Reuters -
Philippe Sandler: 4/10. The young Dutch defender made his first-team debut in the FA Cup third-round win over Rotherham United. Remains to be seen whether he can force his way into City's galaxy of stars. Getty Images -
Arijanet Muric: 6/10. The giant Kosovo international was a fixture in the early rounds of the League Cup before losing his place in the final to Ederson. Has firmly established himself as the Brazilian's understudy. Getty Images
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City head into the match as heavy favourites against a Watford side that finished 11th in the Premier League and a whopping 48 points behind Guardiola's champions.
City are five-time winners of England's oldest cup competition, with their most recent success coming in 2011, while Watford lost their only cup final appearance, in 1984 against Everton.
Zinchenko, who has 21 caps for Ukraine, is not underestimating Javi Gracia's side, and said it was up to City to show one last time why they are England's dominant team this season.
"Watford have very good players, especially up top. Their manager and the way they play, I like it," he said.
"It’s going to be tough against them, I’m sure of that. But I think every single game, our target is to show everyone who we are.”
