Enzo Maresca has said he trusts the Manchester City hierarchy "completely" and that his players are now focused on Sunday's Premier League trip to Liverpool, despite the club's guilty charges verdict.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday morning, the City head coach faced questions for the first time since the Premier League confirmed on September 30 that City have been found guilty of all charges relating to breaches of its financial regulations between 2009/10 and 2017/18. The league said City artificially inflated revenue by more than £900million through 'sham' sponsorship deals.
Club denies wrongdoing and appeals
City, however, have denied any wrongdoing and appealed the decision on October 1. In a statement, the club said they are "innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League" and have "a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence" to support their case.
Maresca's press conference, due to start at 10.30am (UK time), was expected to focus on the verdict rather than the usual preview of the Liverpool clash. The manager is in an uncomfortable position as City head coach, with questions likely about his potential conversations with the owners, his thoughts on the verdict, and what this means for him and the team moving forward.
Maresca follows Guardiola's lead
The situation echoes that faced by Maresca's predecessor, Pep Guardiola, who galvanised his team back in 2023 when they came under fire following the charges initially being dropped. Now, it is the current head coach's responsibility to do so again.
Maresca revealed that he trusts the City hierarchy "completely" and confirmed that his players are now focused on Sunday's Premier League trip to Liverpool, despite the club's guilty charges verdict.
