The noise around Manchester City was louder than the looming trip to Anfield on Friday, as Enzo Maresca faced reporters for the first time since the club was found guilty of 114 financial-rule breaches. The Italian insisted that his faith in the club’s leadership remains absolute while an appeal process continues.
Key takeaways
- Maresca said he has complete confidence in Manchester City’s owners, chief executive, sporting director and wider structure.
- The manager said the club and its players must keep their attention on winning matches rather than outside discussion.
- City travel to Liverpool on Sunday, with kick-off scheduled for 17:15.
- Maresca said it was too early to speculate on possible outcomes while the appeal is unresolved.
- He maintained that the club’s successes of the past decade would not be diminished by the case.
Maresca asks for patience during appeal
In his opening remarks, Maresca acknowledged why the press conference had attracted such attention, but said the ongoing legal process limited what he could discuss.
“I understand why most of you are here,” he said. “The only thing I can say is that there is a process taking place and, at this moment, I have total trust in the club.”
Maresca was appointed during the summer to replace Pep Guardiola, having previously worked as Guardiola’s assistant. He said his decision to take the job was built on long-standing belief in the people running City.
“I have 100 per cent trust in the owners, the CEO, the sporting director and everyone in the organisation,” he said. “There is no doubt in my mind. I am very happy and very proud to be here. There is no other club in the world where I would rather be.”
The manager said he had spoken with the club and that there was confidence internally. He repeatedly suggested that fuller discussion should wait until the appeal had been won, while accepting that the scale of the case had created understandable scrutiny.
Asked what could happen if City were unsuccessful on appeal, Maresca rejected the premise. He said it made little sense to forecast outcomes before the process had run its course, stressing that he was focused on the immediate days ahead rather than distant possibilities.
League leaders turn attention to Liverpool
Maresca accepted the seriousness of the situation but said his responsibility was to prevent it overwhelming the football side of the club. He said the coaching staff and squad had to control the surrounding noise and prepare properly for the visit to Liverpool.
“We understand how serious it is and we understand the noise it creates,” he said. “But we have to manage it and focus on what we can control: preparing the match in the best way, going to Anfield and trying to win.”
City are currently top of the league, a position Maresca said gave the players reason to remain positive and motivated despite the uncertainty off the pitch.
He also defended the value of the trophies collected by City over the previous decade, including the 2023 treble of the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup. Maresca said he knew the work put in by the players, Guardiola and the club to reach those heights.
When asked whether he would still have joined City had the commission’s conclusions been known before his appointment, Maresca gave an unequivocal answer: “One hundred per cent.” He again pointed to his familiarity with the organisation and his belief that it operates properly, before returning the focus to Sunday’s match at Anfield.
