Enzo Maresca faced his first press conference since Manchester City were found guilty on the majority of more than 100 charges tied to breaches of the Premier League's financial regulations, and the Italian manager offered a carefully measured response that leaned heavily on loyalty to the club's leadership.
The Friday briefing at the Etihad Campus drew roughly 45 members of the media, nearly three times the usual turnout, as journalists sought reaction to the independent commission's ruling, which triggered a Premier League statement repeatedly describing City's conduct as a "sham." The phrase has since spawned a wave of mocking nicknames for the club across social media.
Asked directly whether his earlier acknowledgment of "noise" surrounding the club amounted to brushing aside public outrage, Maresca responded: "I understand the reason why most of you are here but the only thing I can say is that there is a process ongoing and in this moment I completely trust the club." The phrase "in this moment" raised eyebrows among reporters, prompting a follow-up question on whether his trust could shift depending on the outcome of ongoing proceedings. Maresca quickly clarified his stance, saying, "Sorry, that was the wrong answer. I completely trust the club in this moment, in the future, always."
Throughout the session, Maresca repeatedly voiced confidence in the club's leadership, which includes chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak and chief executive Ferran Soriano. When pressed on whether either executive should have appeared publicly to address the allegations rather than leaving it to the manager, a club media officer stepped in to redirect the conversation, reminding attendees that the press conference was meant to preview Sunday's away fixture against Liverpool. Maresca himself echoed the sentiment, noting, "Don't forget, it is a Liverpool press conference."
The manager was also asked about Soriano's recent statement, in which the chief executive said the commission's findings "surprisingly for us and our lawyers" supported what he characterized as the Premier League's "conspiracy theory." Maresca declined to expand on the remark, instead reiterating his position: "I understand the reason why most of you are here but the only thing I can say is what I said already. The reason why I joined this club is because I completely trust 100% the owner, the CEO, the sport director, and all the organisation. So, I don't have any doubt about that."
Amid the tension, there was a brief shift in tone when Maresca was asked about Erling Haaland's condition following the striker's request to be substituted during Norway's recent international fixture. The manager appeared to welcome the change of subject, responding with a hint of relief: "Finally. He's good. He went to Marbella, two or three days off, played golf, recovered and prepared for Anfield. He's good. Thank you. It was good."
Looking ahead to Sunday's match against Liverpool, where City currently sit top of the table with a maximum 15 points from five games, Maresca acknowledged the fixture would carry extra intensity given the circumstances. "We need to be ready. Not only does the focus have to be about the game, but also we know that the environment in Anfield is nice. It will be even worse because of the situation," he said, adding that his team would aim to silence the hostile atmosphere with a positive result.
Despite the turbulence surrounding the club off the pitch, Maresca insisted his squad remained unaffected. "I'm not worried at all. The environment from the players is nice, in this moment we are top of the league, so the players have all the reasons to be happy and excited," he said, framing the upcoming trip to Anfield as exactly the kind of high-pressure occasion that drew him to management in the first place.
Based on reporting from Guardian Football (Jamie Jackson).