Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca hopes to see the stands filled with inflatable bananas when City take on Ipswich this weekend. The City boss believes the ongoing crisis engulfing the club has brought everyone at the Etihad Stadium closer together.
The club were found by an independent commission to have committed more than 100 breaches of Premier League regulations following an investigation into their financial affairs. City have maintained their innocence and appealed against the judgement. Supporters have shown defiance and loyalty, including the return of the inflatable banana, a throwback to the craze from the 1980s and 1990s when fans took them to games to lighten the mood during difficult times.
Maresca oversaw an impressive 3-0 win at Liverpool in City's first match since the verdict, and feels the banana has been a strong visual sign in the face of heavy external criticism. "I didn't know the history behind the banana, but I hope tomorrow I can see many bananas in the stadium," he said. He added that the fans, club and team are more together since the verdict. Even his four children have asked him for bananas.
Maresca has been the public face of the club since the verdict, fielding numerous questions on a serious matter beyond his control. The 46-year-old said he feels no stress about the outside situation and is focused on winning the next game. He was also pleased with how his players have coped, following a spirited second-half response in Wednesday's 4-2 defeat by Paris St Germain. City have won all six Premier League games since Maresca took charge, equalling the best start to a managerial reign in the competition's history.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing