‘People will be comparing it to Pep after 10 games’ - Enzo Maresca prepares for ‘impossible’ Manchester City challenge

Taking over from Guardiola at City is a task many would deem the most difficult in world football, but Maresca is ready to embrace the scrutiny. After Guardiola ended his trophy-laden tenure with 17 major honors, including six Premier League titles, the expectations in the blue half of Manchester remain sky-high. Maresca, speaking to the media during the club's pre-season tour in Seoul, acknowledged that his performance will be measured against the standard set by the Catalan from the very first whistle of the new campaign.

Addressing the inevitable comparisons, Maresca was candid about the pressure he faces. "After 10 games, if we have got 10 points, 20 points, 30 points. People will be comparing it to Pep after 10 games, it doesn't put pressure on me," he explained. "I have said many times while I was at Leicester or Chelsea, he is the best manager in the world over the last 15 or 20 years."

Preparation for such a monumental transition involves traditional football wisdom. To ensure he is prepared for the challenge, Maresca met with Guardiola in Barcelona shortly before his official appointment to discuss the inner workings of the squad.

"We spent some hours together," Maresca said. "We had planned before the season finished here to spend some time in the summer holidays together. I like to go in empty sometimes to see things for myself - but he was here so long, he has his opinions. But also you have to arrive and see things for yourself, see all the picture."

Maresca has noticed significant shifts in the English top flight since his previous stint as an assistant, particularly the growing emphasis on dead-ball situations and man-to-man defensive systems. Despite these tactical trends, the former Leicester boss maintains that the Premier League remains the pinnacle of the sport due to the sheer concentration of talent and coaching expertise across the division.

"It is because of the quality of the players, the quality of the managers, the organisation of the Premier League. It is completely different compared to other countries," Maresca noted. "Which league can compete with the Premier League? Spain? Barcelona, Real Madrid, yes, but then the rest is not the same. You have six teams here who are more or less there."

One of the most pressing issues for the new manager is the selection of a new club captain following the departure of Bernardo Silva. The current leadership group includes Ruben Dias, Rodri, and Erling Haaland, but the manager is keen to ensure a homegrown presence is maintained.

"At Leicester and Chelsea I had a rule that when we scored the captain had to come to the bench, not to celebrate, but for instructions. But if he scores, then he can celebrate," Maresca said. "If Erling is the captain, we have a problem, can you imagine? If you saw the game against K-League XI on Wednesday, when we scored the first goal, Ruben came over to the bench. I think even if it is two or three minutes, there is always something to adjust. At the moment, we have three or four [in the leadership group] and we are missing one."

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