Maresca Meets Guardiola: No Need to Worry About Media Misinterpretation

2026-08-11

In Seoul, South Korea, Maresca sat down for an exclusive hour-long interview with Manchester City reporters, discussing topics ranging from captaincy choices to shifts in football style, and, notably, his meeting with Guardiola. Below are the highlights from the latter part of this insightful conversation.

According to The Athletic, prior to leaving Chelsea, Maresca witnessed Antoine Semenyo’s long throw-in lead Bournemouth to a 2-2 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. However, just like Guardiola, Semenyo is now part of Manchester City, and there are no plans to implement that particular tactic. Maresca pointed out that the issue lies not in the players' height but rather in the midfield's lack of aggression, which hasn’t maximized the potential gains from challenging second balls in the box.

He emphasized that an excessive focus on set-piece training could detract from other crucial training sessions, especially as he seeks to instill his philosophy into the squad following his recent appointment. During this East Asia tour, Maresca has primarily focused on building attacks from the back and acknowledged that Donnarumma could struggle with the complex build-up play, necessitating a more straightforward approach to reduce basic errors. He wants to transition the ball to the flanks, providing wingers like Semenyo the space for one-on-one opportunities, which seems to suit his vision.

Before arriving in Manchester, Maresca flew to Barcelona to meet Guardiola, who confirmed that he intends to leave Manchester City after the EFL Cup final at the end of March and formally pushed forward plans for Maresca to take over. During the 2022-23 season, when Maresca coached the U23s and served as an assistant, the two maintained a close collaborative relationship. Although they had originally planned to meet again before the end of last season and over the summer, conflicting schedules thwarted those plans.

“He’s been here for 10 years, and that has been a massive help for me,” Maresca said. “I sometimes like to observe without preconceived notions, but Guardiola's insights are also crucial. Yet, real situations need to be experienced personally for a complete understanding.”

Guardiola reassured Maresca that if what he says is misinterpreted by the media as criticism of his predecessor, he shouldn't worry at all. Additionally, Guardiola provided Maresca with insights into the personalities within the squad, advising him on who would be good fit and who may react poorly when faced with exclusion.

Maresca acknowledged the substantial challenge ahead but noted that this summer he expressed no concerns regarding the 115 charges against Manchester City. During his official unveiling, he referred to the need to avoid the mistakes made by Manchester United and Arsenal when they replaced Ferguson and Wenger, recognizing that comparisons with the legendary head coach would be inevitable.

“I am fully aware—after ten games, if we're only on 10, 20, or 30 points, the public will inevitably compare that to Guardiola’s record,” he reflected. “But I don’t feel pressured by that. I have often stated during my time at Leicester City and Chelsea that Guardiola is one of the best coaches of the past 15 to 20 years. His achievements during his tenure are worth learning from for everyone.”

Maresca is conscious that many players need a fresh start for various reasons; for instance, James Trafford departed for this very reason, despite their close relationship during the U23 period. After Manchester City's 3-1 victory over Atlético Madrid on Sunday, Maresca hinted that Malmoush finds himself in a similar predicament.

He stressed that Foden also needs to embark on a new chapter. Initially, he planned to bring Grealish on the tour, but the winger suffered an injury prior to departure. After two challenging seasons—which included his loan to Everton—Grealish's hopes of swiftly re-establishing himself in the core squad do not appear optimistic.

As for Rodri, Maresca has repeatedly expressed in public and private that he will “wait and see,” while also admitting that the club anticipated the Spanish midfielder might leave this summer, considering his contract has just one year remaining. Barcelona is working diligently to sign him, having convinced him to turn down advances from Real Madrid. Should Rodri leave, the list of players Maresca has been in contact with during Guardiola’s tenure will shrink further.

“Since I joined the club, Haaland was one of the first players to message me. Now, among this treble-winning team, Foden, Ruben Dias, Haaland, Rodri, and Rico Lewis remain. I’ve kept in contact with them all, including Haaland, Grealish, and Rodri, who has been reaching out since the beginning. The team has undergone a massive transformation.”

Maresca views this as a chance to start anew, aiming to erase the shadows of the past while remaining familiar with the club’s system. He has moved into Guardiola's office, though it wasn't as the public might expect—it was previously Pep Lijnders’ space. Guardiola’s former office has been converted to a conference room, and the new head coach is reluctant for players to repeat the errors of previous implementations.

Maresca has assembled a complete coaching team, including former Manchester City goalkeeper Willy Caballero as an assistant. He has also brought Danny Walker back to the club. Walker was an essential part of Maresca's coaching staff during his time with the U23s. Maresca had hoped to take Walker with him when he moved to Parma in 2021, but that didn’t materialize due to the club’s prioritization. Now, Walker has become a key member of the coaching setup.

“Oh my God, Danny Walker! He’s the Brit on my coaching staff. We have breakfast together, and he loves baked beans on toast; he enjoys a beer when we go out at night. When I came in to lead the U23s, I encountered limitations in adjusting the existing staff, but by then Walker was already part of my team. He knew the players from U6 to U12 as well as anyone.”

“He's outstanding. If we need to conduct extra training with players, he excels in that area as well. I have six or seven members on my team whose importance lies not in friendship but in their capability. If we fail to win matches, everyone must reflect. That’s a good thing.”

Maresca understands he is taking on one of the toughest challenges in football, and he is ready to confront it in his own way.