Eder Maestre knows the stakes have never been higher as he prepares to lead London City Lionesses into their second season in the Women's Super League. Speaking to Standard Sport from the club's Cobdown Park training base, currently under renovation, the Spanish head coach acknowledged that the scale of investment behind the project has raised expectations considerably.
This summer, London City made a series of high-profile signings, headlined by the arrival of two-time Ballon d'Or winner and Spain international Alexia Putellas. She is joined by fellow Barcelona great Mapi Leon, Lyonnes forward Kadidiatou Diani, and Arsenal's Rosa Kafaji, while former England goalkeeper Mary Earps remains between the posts. The recruits join a squad already blending European experience with promising homegrown players.
Maestre, who took charge midway through last season, described the upcoming campaign as potentially the toughest of his career. "I think this season maybe could be the most challenging that I ever faced," he said. "The more facilities you have to exploit, the more pressure you feel on your shoulders."
His first half-season in charge yielded 12 points from 11 matches, three fewer than his predecessor Precheur had managed over a similar stretch before being dismissed. With owner Michele Kang demanding elite standards throughout the club, Maestre is aware that only sustained progress will be deemed acceptable.
Despite the pressure, the coach remains driven by ambition. "Dreaming should be something to have always in our minds," he said. "This is going to be a light when the darkness comes." He believes the club's primary target this season is qualification for the Champions League, and he stressed the importance of integrating his new signings quickly. The campaign begins on Friday night as the Lionesses host Manchester United, who are also under new management, in the WSL's opening fixture.
"We have very talented players now, coming from other environments, other cultures, so trying to put them now in a different context is going to be challenging," Maestre explained. "This is my concern, to align everything, find a middle point. The culture, the identity, is not something to create in one day. The winning mentality is step-by-step. Now we need to put all the ingredients we have – signings, better facilities, everything – trying to create a strong recipe. That takes time, but I am here to accelerate the timelines."
Maestre, a former chess prodigy and engineering graduate, brings an unusual intellectual background to his coaching. He recalled quitting competitive chess at 16 after being told he needed to master specific openings rather than rely on creativity. "If I need to start learning solutions to beat the next opponent, I am going to win because of my memory capacities instead of my creativity, so I don't want this," he said, adding that he values feeling the game through creativity rather than memorised patterns.
His engineering studies, meanwhile, shaped a more analytical approach to football. "When you are a programmer, you have to understand the flow of the data. When you are watching football, it is the same," he said, describing how he tries to build a "relational knowledge" of the game's patterns and outcomes.
Maestre also spoke warmly of his early interactions with owner Michele Kang, admitting he was initially nervous before their first conversation. "I was a little scared, to be honest. She has this kind of aura," he said, before praising her attentiveness. "The thing that impacted me the most was her listening capability. I really felt her listening with plenty of conscience, taking and considering everything that I was saying."
Looking ahead, Maestre said he does not need external targets, insisting he is focused on maximising the tools at his disposal—chiefly a solid defensive base from last season and added attacking invention, with Putellas expected to provide creativity as a No.10. "I really think we will be in a very good situation to push the standards in the league," he said. "Let's see if we can reach the targets. But at least the pathway is settled, and everyone here, we are working towards that direction."
Based on reporting from Standard Football.