Enzo Maresca utilized his inaugural press conference as the new Manchester City manager to offer a respectful tribute to former club boss Kevin Keegan. The football community has been in mourning following the recent passing of the two-time Ballon d’Or winner and former England international.
Addressing the media for the first time since his appointment in June, Maresca made it his opening priority to acknowledge the loss.
He stated that he wanted to send a message and a big hug to Kevin Keegan’s family during this difficult moment, noting Keegan's tenure as the manager of the Blues between 2001 and 2005.
Maresca, who signed a three-year contract to succeed Pep Guardiola, expressed his comfort in returning to the Etihad Stadium. Having previously served in the Academy and as an assistant to Guardiola during the club's Treble-winning campaign, the Italian manager remarked that he feels back home and that the atmosphere has been brilliant since his first day on the job.
Succeeding Guardiola, who guided the club to 20 trophies over an incredible 10-year period, is a significant challenge, yet Maresca views the opportunity as a distinct privilege.
Reflecting on his predecessor, Maresca described Guardiola as the best coach in the world over the last 20 to 25 years. He acknowledged the difficulty of stepping into a role following a long-term, highly successful manager, citing the examples of Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger. For Maresca, the task is to ensure he performs the right actions for the club, the fans, and everyone involved.
Beyond his managerial appointment, Maresca addressed ongoing squad developments. He confirmed details regarding Rodri’s surgery and remained calm regarding speculation linking the star to Real Madrid, noting that the player is set to miss the start of the Premier League season. Meanwhile, transfer activity continues as James Trafford reportedly prefers a move to Leeds, with talks ongoing.
The club is also awaiting a decision from Julian Brandt, and other exits are expected to be near. Additionally, Manchester City is set to rival Aston Villa for a PSG starlet who is currently being pursued by teams across Europe. The club is also monitoring the market for the summer's biggest free agents.
In other football news, the Premier League issued a statement explaining why Tottenham’s James Maddison was not awarded a penalty during his return from injury in a draw against Leeds. Furthermore, in Saudi Arabia, an error by goalkeeper Bento prevented Al-Nassr from securing the league title this Tuesday, as the team failed to hold a 1-0 lead.
Looking ahead to the upcoming schedule, Manchester City is set to face Italian champions Inter in Hong Kong on Saturday 1 August at 12:30 (UK). This will be followed by matches in Seoul against a K League All-Stars side on Wednesday 5 August, and Atletico Madrid on Sunday 9 August, with both games scheduled for 12:00 (UK).
These fixtures will be available for viewing via mancity.com and the official club app for current CITY+ subscribers globally, with specific regional exclusions for China, Italy, and South Korea.
While taking over from the hugely successful Catalan could be seen as a big challenge, the new boss sees at as a honour to have been asked to take the position.
Bento's howler delays CR7's first title in Saudi Arabia 😱
