Enzo Maresca issued a cryptic message in his first response to the news that Manchester City have been found guilty of breaking Premier League financial rules.
While no official announcement has been made, it was widely reported on Friday that City had been found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges against them. The Citizens are expected to appeal the verdict and on Saturday, chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak broke his silence with a defiant message to fans.
Club faces uncertain punishment
The club now face an agonising wait to see what punishment the Premier League will give them, with possible sanctions ranging from fines and points deductions to expulsion from the top-flight and their trophies taken away from them.
While former City star Rodri has commented on the news, no current player has spoken out, with star striker Erling Haaland pulled out of a Norway press conference at the last minute. Maresca replaced Pep Guardiola in the Etihad dugout over the summer, having previously worked at the club as a youth manager and Guardiola's assistant.
Manager's cryptic response
With the season currently on its first international break, official word from the manager or players is not expected for a couple of weeks, but Maresca has broken his silence… sort of.
As reported by The Guardian, the Italian was approached for comment and in turn, his representatives sent them a screenshot of a quote by the Greek philosopher Socrates. The quote reads: 'The only thing I know is that I know nothing.'
Curiously, Maresca had posted the same quote on Instagram on Friday afternoon, shortly before the news surrounding City exploded.
Charges and possible sanctions
Man City's 115 charges include: failure to provide accurate and up-to-date financial information (2009-2018) – 54 charges; failure to provide accurate financial reports for player and manager compensation (2009-2018) – 14 charges; failure to comply with UEFA's regulations, including Financial Fair Play Regulations – 5 charges; breaching Premier League Profitability and Sustainability regulations (2015-2018) – 7 charges; and failure to co-operate with Premier League investigations (2018-2023) – 35 charges.
Maresca's post also included a bizarre picture of the manager's feet, along with the caption: 'Time to breathe. Time to analyse. Time to learn.'
It is believed that a points deduction is the most likely sanction that Man City will receive, rather than having their titles stripped away, something that may please Andy Robertson. Robertson was part of the Liverpool squad that went up against City at the height of their powers between 2017 and 2024, twice finishing runner-up in the title race.
The left-back, now playing for Tottenham, could feel he is owed several medals but has stated that he believes City's players should not be punished for something out of their control.
'I think you can hear the shock in my voice. The case has obviously been going on,' the Scotland captain said in a press conference on Friday. 'For me, the [Man City] players showed they were good enough on the pitch. I don't know too much about the charges. But they had an incredible team, one that I loved battling against. I don't think when it comes to these things that players are ever to blame. That's all I can focus on.'
