Manchester City has appointed Enzo Maresca as their new manager. Pep Guardiola’s successor Monday after reaching a settlement with Chelsea over the Italian coach’s remuneration following his resignation. awkward departure From a London club in January.
Maresca has signed a three-year contract with City, taking on the difficult task of replacing one of the greatest managers in the history of football. Guardiola led City to 17 major trophies in his 10 years before stepping down in May.
Maresca, 46, returned to City for the third time, serving as academy coach in 2020/21 and as Guardiola’s assistant in 2022/23, when the team won the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup treble.
Maresca then joined Leicester, leading them to the English Second Division Championship title, and soon took charge of Chelsea, his only top-level coaching job to date.
He was at Chelsea from June 2024 to January 2026, winning the Club World Cup and Conference League titles, as well as qualifying for the Champions League.
Maresca left at the beginning of January following a falling out with Chelsea, but in a statement released alongside the announcement of Maresca’s arrival, the club said at the time that they felt the Italian “may have the opportunity to replace Josep Guardiola at the end of the season”.
Maresca has a contract with Chelsea until 2029, but has previously downplayed his links with City publicly.
Chelsea said on Monday: “It has become clear to us that he has a strong desire to become Guardiola’s successor and is fully committed to pursuing that opportunity, despite having a long-term contract that he has no right to terminate.”
Chelsea said they were “disappointed” by his resignation as they “believed his head and heart were focused on another club and another opportunity”.
Chelsea announced that they had reached a “confidential settlement” with City, including the payment of compensation, and that they would receive compensation from Maresca himself.
Maresca admitted that his departure from Chelsea “apologizes for the confusion it has caused to the club.”
“That was never my intention or wish,” he added, adding that he was “thrilled” to join City.
Tough action following Guardiola
Maresca has the near-impossible task of following Guardiola in breaking records at the Etihad Stadium. Guardiola won six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four in a row, and his first Champions League title.
“Manchester City is a club that I know very well and the opportunity to manage this team is a great opportunity for me,” Maresca said in a City statement.
“City are an incredibly well-run football club. Everything they do is innovative, planned and purposeful. For a manager, it’s a dream situation. It gives me the consistency I need to work effectively.”
City president Khaldoon Al Mubarak said Maresca’s preferred style of football was a good fit for the club.
Al Mubarak said: “He rejoins an organization whose ambitions and hunger for achievement are perfectly aligned. His return to Manchester City is therefore a welcome and natural next step for him and the club.”
“Enzo inherits a team and football organization that are perfectly suited to reflect and evolve his brand of football, and we are all very much looking forward to the impact he can have in building on the club’s success further.”
Manager Guardiola calls on his successor to “be yourself”
guardiola At his final press conference, the city manager was asked if he had a message for his successor. It doesn’t matter who it is.
“I want him to be himself,” Guardiola said. “The club supports you unconditionally, that’s the biggest compliment.
“Be yourself… be free, have your own ideas, work hard and everything will be fine.”
Still, replacing great, long-serving executives often doesn’t go well.
Alex Ferguson, who was Manchester United’s manager for around 27 years, retired in 2013 and handpicked David Moyes as his successor. Moyes lasted less than a season.
Unai Emery replaced Arsene Wenger, who was Arsenal’s manager from 1996 to 2018, but was sacked 18 months later.
Most recently, Arne Slott took over as Liverpool manager in the summer of 2024 after nearly nine years in charge under Jurgen Klopp, winning the Premier League in his first season. However, his second season was a tough one, with Liverpool finishing the recently concluded season in fifth place.
City await verdict in lawsuit with Premier League
Maresca joins City at a potentially testing time for the club, who are currently embroiled in a major legal battle with the Premier League.
City was indicted by the league on more than 100 charges in February 2023. financial violationsincluding providing misleading information about your source of income. The case was heard by an independent committee between September and December 2024, but no verdict has been rendered.
Punishment could be as extreme as expulsion from the top echelons. The city has always denied the charges.
However, Guardiola bequeathed Maresca a strong team. This season, City won a double domestic cup, the English League Cup and the FA Cup, and went unbeaten in 15 league games with a vastly changed line-up before losing to Aston Villa in Guardiola’s farewell game on May 24, the final game, and narrowly nudging Arsenal in the race for the Premier League title.
With the departure of leading players Bernardo Silva and John Stones, there is a need for reinforcements, and English media has widely reported that England midfielder Elliott Anderson may be set to move to City.
Maresca’s first match
Maresca’s first competitive match with City will be at home against Bournemouth in the Premier League on August 23rd. A week before that, City face Arsenal in the Community Shield. This is the traditional end to the English season with the winners of the league and FA Cup.
___
AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
