Enzo Maresca fronted his first press conference since the independent Premier League commission found Manchester City guilty of charges, and he sidestepped questions about the verdict's fairness. Asked whether he dismissed the anger of fans by calling the controversy noise, Maresca said there is an ongoing process and that he completely trusts the club.
When pressed on why he trusts the club, whether he has seen the evidence the club refers to, and whether he would stay if the club were relegated as Pep Guardiola once pledged, Maresca said he trusts the people behind the club and joined because there is no other club where he would rather be. He added that he is proud to be at City and has said so since arriving.
Maresca rejected the suggestion that the club's achievements under Guardiola now look tainted, pointing to the effort behind the treble-winning season. He said the squad can only control its football, and when asked whether he shares CEO Ferran Soriano's view of a conspiracy against the club, he repeated that he trusts the owner, the CEO, the sporting director and the wider organisation completely.
On whether he had personal assurances from Sheikh Mansour, Maresca said he had spoken with the club and that the right moment to discuss it would be when the appeal is won. He also confirmed he last spoke with Guardiola after the derby and that his former mentor is due to visit on Tuesday, a prospect Maresca described as a pleasure, since Guardiola can come to the club whenever he wishes.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing