Maresca breaks silence after Man City guilty verdict

Enzo Maresca has insisted he would still have joined Manchester City even if the club’s guilty verdict for breaching Premier League financial rules had been published before his appointment, declaring his trust in the club’s leadership as he prepares for Sunday’s charged meeting with Liverpool.

“I’d like to speak when we win the appeal! But I’m telling you… I would’ve joined Man City if the Premier League verdict had already been published,” Maresca said on Friday, October 9, in his first press conference since the findings became public.

The Italian also rejected suggestions that City’s achievements under Pep Guardiola had been tainted, repeatedly backed the club’s hierarchy and refused to speculate about what he would do if the appeal failed. 

His comments came as the Premier League leaders prepared to return to action against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, October 11, with the financial case threatening to overshadow one of English football’s biggest fixtures.

Maresca made his position clear when asked whether the allegations would have deterred him from accepting the job.

“I know the organisation from years ago! And I know how serious they are, I know they do the right things,” he said, reaffirming his confidence in the people running the club.

The 46-year-old had worked within City’s coaching structure before returning in June 2026 to replace Guardiola. 

He was part of Guardiola’s staff during the 2022/23 campaign, when City won the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League to complete a historic treble.

Asked whether the verdict had tarnished those achievements, Maresca answered: “Absolutely not.”

He pointed to the work required to deliver that treble, saying he understood the effort contributed by Guardiola, the players and the wider club. His defence was unequivocal: he believes the club’s on-field success should not be dismissed because of the commission’s findings.

City, however, continue to deny wrongdoing and have appealed the ruling. The independent commission found the club guilty of serious breaches of Premier League financial rules relating to the 2009/10 to 2017/18 seasons, including the use of commercial arrangements that the league said inflated revenue and understated costs by more than £900 million.

The case remains unresolved while the appeal process continues. Potential consequences could include financial penalties, points deductions and other sporting sanctions, with relegation and the removal of titles also discussed as possible outcomes. 

The most revealing exchange came when Maresca was pressed on whether he would remain in charge if City suffered a severe punishment.

Rather than commit himself to staying under every possible outcome, he insisted that he wanted to discuss the situation after the appeal had been won.

“I would like to speak about this situation when we win the appeal,” he said. “Now there is no sense to speak about anything because I don’t have much information.”

When the prospect of relegation was raised, Maresca responded by invoking his previous experience in England’s second tier.

“I won the Championship with Leicester, so if we go down to League One, we will see,” he said.

The reference was to Leicester City’s 2023/24 campaign, when Maresca guided the Foxes to the Championship title and promotion back to the Premier League. Leicester finished the season with 97 points, six clear of second-placed Ipswich Town.

Maresca’s first media appearance since the verdict came after the international break, leaving his team’s next competitive assignment as a visit to Liverpool.

City travel to Anfield on Sunday, October 11, for a 4:30 p.m. WAT kick-off. The fixture carries added significance because it will be the club’s first match since the commission’s findings became public, placing Maresca under pressure to keep the controversy from dominating preparations.

The manager acknowledged the seriousness of the situation but argued that the squad’s responsibility was to concentrate on football.

“We completely understand the seriousness of the situation. I’m not saying that we don’t understand that. We understand, the players understand. But it’s our duty, our job, to try to control the noise,” he said.

“For me and for the players we can control just the pitch side, the field side. So we are focused on that.”

The trip also comes amid concerns over security around City’s team bus. Merseyside Police have said an appropriate operation will be in place after a social media post called on supporters to gather near Anfield before kick-off. 

City’s bus was struck by bottles, cans and flares before a Champions League match at Anfield in 2018, an incident that caused significant damage.

Maresca said he welcomed the intensity of high-profile fixtures, adding that such matches were part of the reason he wanted to manage at the highest level.