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Sergio Aguero: The history of the FA Cup meant it was always a special competition to play in
Stake’s global representative, Sergio Aguero, reveals his memories of playing in the FA Cup, why it was a special competition for him to win, how Pep Guardiola will keep his players motivated against Peterborough in their fifth round tie, and what this side could achieve this season.
The FA Cup has an amazing history and I am proud to have won the competition
The FA Cup was always one of my favourite competitions to play in because of its history and because of the many famous players and teams to have won it.
When I was living in Spain and here in Argentina, everyone knew about the competition and its history.
We came so close to winning the FA Cup in 2013 but were beaten by Wigan in the final. It was hard for us because we had a very good team, Carlos Tevez, Yaya Toure, David Silva, Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta all started that game.
But we were all very new to the club and it was only the start of our journey. I think we did okay in the end!
We were back at Wembley for my second FA Cup final in 2019 and that day went much better for us when we beat Watford.
We were so happy to win it and to be a part of FA Cup history was a very proud moment for me.
The tradition of the FA Cup is one of my favourite things about the competition, it was fun to meet Prince William to get my medal after the game and the celebrations with the fans afterwards was so special.
Everyone says that the FA Cup is magical and it is true, it was always really fun to play in and you felt proud to represent your team in the competition.
The day we played in the FA Cup was
always special because there was so much excitement in the team and the fans were always extra happy to see us play well.
Playing teams in lower divisions in the FA Cup is harder than you think, so Pep will have the City players focused ahead of the Peterborough match
Not many people know how hard it is to play in the FA Cup. In England, you play a lot of matches and a lot of competitions, but as a player, it’s really exciting because you have the chance to try and win lots of different competitions, and winning finals is something that you are always proud of as a footballer, which means every game is important.
To get to the final you have to play against lots of different teams and some new ones that you might not have ever played against before. Playing against new teams and new players and at new stadiums is always hard because you don’t know 100% what you’re going to be playing against. We watch the teams in the Premier League and Champions League a lot and we all have friends and international teammates that play for them, but when you draw a team in the FA Cup that you don’t regularly get to play against or know too much about, it’s always a difficult experience.
When we played against a new team or a side in a different division, we were always expected to win, but it’s not as easy as that. Every manager always made sure the preparation for an FA Cup game was exactly the same. The training was the same, we worked hard on our jobs for the match and we went into the game knowing what we had to do, it made no difference if it was the final or first round.
This is exactly what Pep Guardiola will be doing with the team this week. Pep is a winner and he hates to lose, you don’t win the number of trophies he has without this attitude. He will be making sure the Manchester City players are ready for the game against Peterborough in the same way as if it was any other match.
There’s added pressure on Manchester City to win in the FA Cup and Peterborough will look to familiar tactics to beat them
When you are the team in a higher league and you have to travel to a team in a league below you it is difficult because the crowd are always so excited that their team might cause an upset and get to beat a Premier League team! When you get to the ground you are quickly aware that everyone really wants you to lose – the fans let you know when you arrive. It’s not just the
home crowd that are extra excited to see you lose, but it is everyone watching at home also, we know this and try not to think about it and focus on our job for the day.
We played against Wigan, again, in 2018 in the Cup at their stadium and it was one of the hardest matches. They defended so well and frustrated us, we had all of the possession and so many chances, but they scored late and knocked us out, that’s how it is in knockout football. If Peterborough think that they can win then they should watch that game and do the same as Wigan did.
Peterborough will be tough for Manchester City because the team has just travelled to Portugal in the Champions League, had a tough game against Tottenham, then they’ll play away in the Premier League threes days before the match and then they have to play Manchester United after the FA Cup game, but the team has so many good players in every position and everyone is used to this way of playing now.
Manchester City are hungry to win every competition
At Manchester City, we wanted to win everything, every match and every trophy, and that will always be the case at the club now. I think Manchester City are in a great place to win the Premier League again, they also have a good chance in the FA Cup and in the Champions League too, but this might be competitive, but I think it is possible that they win all three. Winning a treble like this would be a huge achievement and they have a team and manager that can do it this season.
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Press Box PR strengthens team with addition of ex-Betway and Stats Perform content editor Will Rook

Fast-growing digital PR agency has offices in London and Manchester
Digital PR agency Press Box PR has strengthened its content team with the appointment of Will Rook as Senior Creative Content Manager.
Rook spent seven and a half years at Betway Group in various editorial roles between 2016 and 2023. He later worked with Stats Perform as Project Manager and Content Editor to help manage the delivery of its sports betting editorial content for their clients and produce much of the English language content himself.
He joins the content team at Press Box to develop engaging sports campaigns that leverage global trending topics from ideation through to execution, to earn top-tier media coverage for clients across multiple sectors, including sports, betting and gaming.
Press Box is an earned-first digital PR and content agency, delivering B2C and B2B communications, with specialisms in sport, betting and gaming, finance, consumer lifestyle and hospitality and catering brands.
Founded in 2019 by former Ladbrokes PR manager Alex Donohue, Press Box PR now employs more than 40 people across its offices in London and Manchester.
Rook said: “I’m really grateful for the opportunity at this stage of my career and can’t wait to get started. I’m excited to be joining a team that is growing and am looking forward to contributing to the success of the agency and our clients.”
Greg Johnson, Head of Content at Press Box PR, said: “Brilliant content is at the heart of what we do at Press Box and Will’s arrival further strengthens our team. His deep knowledge of sport and betting, combined with his proven ability to come up with great ideas and produce relevant and newsworthy content will help us continue to exceed expectations for our clients.”
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ELA Games Unveils ‘John’s Book’: An Epic Quest Through the Sands of Egypt

Classic “Book of” theme meets the studio’s modern art and mechanics
ELA Games, a dynamic game development studio, announces the release of John’s Book, its modern take on timeless themes and mechanics.
The game invites players to join John the Explorer to hunt for ancient treasures buried in a Pharaoh’s tomb. Rich with iconic symbols and familiar mechanics, John’s Book is a tribute to the well-loved “Book Of…” format that’s prevalent in the industry while adding its twists. With high replayability, easy-to-understand features, and an immersive design, this title appeals to both veteran and casual players.
At the heart of the game is the Book symbol. Land 3 or more to enter the lucrative Free Spins round, where Special Expanding Symbols drop randomly to supercharge your wins. The Free Spins round can be retriggered by landing another 3 Book symbols during the bonus. Stack up to 9 expanding symbols for a big payday!
The game showcases ELA Games’ art and design, featuring a lush environment, eye-catching symbols, attractive animations, and engaging sound design. John’s Book immerses players in a game where they can connect with the protagonist and enjoy action-packed gameplay.
Marharyta Yerina, ELA Games’ Managing Director, commented on the game’s release, “John’s Book is an homage to a format we know players love. ‘Book Of…’ games are wildly popular for a good reason, but we wanted to refine them with ELA Games’ signature high-quality art and technical development. The result is a game that feels familiar yet fresh as it pushes the boundaries of the format with revitalised mechanics. We’re excited to see our players enjoy our take on a timeless classic.”
John’s Book is the latest addition to ELA Games’ rapidly growing portfolio as the studio continues to innovate and evolve well-known themes and formats in the industry.
John’s Book features:
- RTP: 94%
- Volatility: Medium
- Format: 5×3
- Paylines: 10
- Max win: 5,000x
- Free Spins with Special Expanding Symbols
- Retriggerable bonus rounds
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QTech Games adds to its growing numbers with 77 Gaming

Emerging-markets leader expands its offering with new games from rising star
QTech Games, the leading game aggregator for emerging markets, has maintained the strong momentum in its deal-flow, thanks to its latest integration with rising star supplier, 77 Gaming.
Integrating content from one of the more innovative and creative online slots providers adds yet more muscle to QTech Games’ burgeoning platform, which is taking the widest range of online games to emerging territories with established names, such as Playtech and Aviator, sitting alongside the industry’s most exciting up-and-coming providers.
Recognised for its growing library of visually rich, mobile-first games, 77 Gaming is now layering daring narratives onto some cutting-edge mechanics, offering global operators varied content with which to captivate modern players. And by fusing unique maths modelling, which spans the volatility spectrum, with eye-catching storytelling, these games are fostering some truly engaging gameplay for a new cohort of QTech players.
77 Gaming’s portfolio of slots titles has been optimised for mobile, a cornerstone of QTech’s RNG model, which is founded on its fully-owned and customised technical platform, affording games providers and operators the fastest integration available. Through this leading platform, which has sealed its definitive status as a global gaming one-stop shop, clients enjoy the best performance and customer support available, localised to every region across both developing and more mature markets.
The deal organically broadens 77 Gaming’s international footprint, unlocking untapped jurisdictions for diversified growth from Asia to Africa and Eastern Europe to Latin America.
Philip Doftvik, QTech Games’ CEO, said: “77 Gaming create world-class slots provision for worldwide customers, opening up an expansive range of slots for every type of player and market. They are always looking to redefine the existing ecosystem and reimagine more traditional gaming experiences with every play.
“Similarly, we’re committed to rolling out first-class content that drives revenue for our partners. So, teaming up with 77 Gaming reflects our dedication to curating standout content from every niche of the industry. This deal extends our impressive sequential pipeline for 2025 – and we’ve thrilled to now have 77 Gaming aboard our dominant aggregation platform for emerging markets.”
Vicky Luo, Spokeswoman of 77 Gaming, added: “At 77 Gaming, we’re committed to raising the bar in the igaming sector and pushing the boundaries of how these games look and feel. With world-class mechanics, our games generate an unparalleled gaming experience, to our mind. Our unique design style and rapid production pace make them a strong fit for the leading aggregation models on the market, so this QTech integration is a real validation for us.”
“Furthermore, this collaboration with QTech Games represents a fantastic opportunity to strengthen our product distribution across emerging territories and deliver our great games to a range of top-tier partners.”
The post QTech Games adds to its growing numbers with 77 Gaming appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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