As Manchester City prepare for life after one of the most successful managers in modern football, Enzo Maresca is refusing to be intimidated by the comparison.
The former Chelsea boss spoke to BBC Sport and other members of the UK football media during City’s pre-season tour of South Korea, addressing everything from Guardiola’s enormous legacy to the Premier League’s tactical evolution and the identity of his next captain.
For Maresca, replacing Guardiola may be an impossible assignment — but it is also an opportunity few coaches would turn down.
“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. I have said many times while I was at Leicester [City] or Chelsea, he is the best manager in the world over the last 15 or 20 years,” Maresca said to reporters.
“When he started in Spain, everyone wanted to play like Barcelona, he moved to Germany everyone wanted to play like Bayern [Munich], he comes to England and everyone wants to play like City.
“Someone asked me if it’s the impossible job to follow him — maybe, but at the same time it’s a privilege.”
Guardiola leaves behind a remarkable record at the Etihad.
During his reign, City won six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four consecutive championships.
They also lifted the Champions League, three FA Cups and five Carabao Cups.
Maresca understands that legacy cannot simply be replicated.
Rather than attempting to become Guardiola 2.0, the Italian appears determined to observe, adapt and build his own version of Manchester City.
That process began even before he officially took charge.
Maresca revealed he met Guardiola in Barcelona the day before signing his City contract, with the pair spending several hours together.
“We spent some hours together. We had planned before the season finished here to spend some time in the summer holidays together,” he said.
“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.”
The new City boss has also identified one of the Premier League’s biggest tactical trends: set pieces.
Arsenal scored 25 goals from set-piece situations last season and used that weapon effectively during their title-winning campaign, while City finished second.
Maresca believes City must improve in that area without losing sight of what makes English football unique.
“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,” he continued.
“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.”
The message is clear: set pieces matter, but City will not abandon their footballing identity in pursuit of them.
One of Maresca’s biggest immediate decisions concerns the Manchester City captaincy.
Bernardo Silva has left for Real Madrid, leaving a vacancy in the leadership structure.
Erling Haaland, Rodri and Ruben Dias currently form the senior leadership group, but Rodri’s future is uncertain amid reported interest from Barcelona.
That leaves Maresca with a decision to make — and Haaland’s goalscoring instincts could complicate matters.
“Erling was one of the first to send a message when I joined the club.
“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.
“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. In the case of Rodri, see what happens.”
There is little time for Maresca to settle into his new surroundings.
Manchester City’s new era officially begins at the Etihad on August 23, when Bournemouth provide the first Premier League test.
The expectation will be enormous. So will the scrutiny. But Maresca appears comfortable with both.
Guardiola’s shadow will follow him throughout his opening months, perhaps even longer.
Every result will invite comparisons, every tactical decision will be analysed and every dropped point will inevitably be measured against the standards established by his predecessor.
Maresca, however, is not running from the challenge. He sees the impossible job as a privilege.
Now comes the difficult part: proving that the Cityzens can build another winning era with a different man at the wheel.
Toosin is a dedicated sports writer with a strong background in crafting engaging and insightful content. With experience at Goal, he has developed a sharp editorial sense and a refined storytelling approach that brings depth and perspective to sports journalism. His passion for the game goes beyond the headlines, as he captures both the excitement of the sport and the compelling human narratives behind each event. Toosin’s work resonates with a broad and diverse audience, making global sports stories accessible, relatable, and impactful.
