Enzo Maresca’s tenure as Manchester City manager began with a 3-1 penalty shootout defeat against Italian champions Inter Milan, though the former Leicester and Chelsea boss remained positive about the outing. The match, held at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Stadium, drew nearly 43,000 spectators, although the crowd was sparse enough to leave some seats empty.
Maresca, who took the helm in June following the departure of Pep Guardiola, told reporters he was pleased with the performance and highlighted the value of players gaining crucial minutes on the pitch.
City drew first blood in the 14th minute when Antoine Semenyo navigated toward the byline, setting up youngster Divin Mubama for an opening goal. Semenyo continued to challenge the Inter defense throughout the first half, nearly scoring an impressive solo effort that was ultimately saved by goalkeeper Josep Martinez.
Inter equalized shortly after when Benjamin Pavard capitalized on a failed clearance from a Jamal Iddrissou cross, slotting the ball home from near the penalty spot.
Maresca admitted that his side struggled with their pressing structure in the first half, noting that they conceded switches of play due to being late in their defensive duties. However, he felt the team made necessary adjustments at halftime, leading to a much improved second-half performance.
As the game wore on and substitutions increased, both teams missed opportunities to take the lead. Manchester City pushed for a late winner, with Vitor Reis hitting the crossbar and Ryan McAidoo striking the post, but the match ultimately moved to penalties.
The club is currently navigating a period of transition as they look to move past the era of Guardiola, who secured 20 trophies over a decade at the club. Several key players, including Erling Haaland and Rodri, did not travel for the Asia tour and will not join the squad for upcoming matches in Seoul against a K League all-star team and Atletico Madrid.
Following the tour, City will face Arsenal in the Community Shield on August 16, followed by their Premier League opener against Bournemouth on August 23. Meanwhile, Inter Milan will conclude their pre-season with matches against AC Milan and Juventus before starting their Serie A title defense against Monza on August 22.
"Many positive things, including minutes for the legs, that's very important.
"Like always, there are things we can do better, but slowly, slowly, we're going to improve."
