Following Guardiola may be impossible job – Maresca
Enzo Maresca has spoken about the challenge of succeeding Pep Guardiola as Manchester City manager, describing the task as potentially "impossible" but also "a privilege". Guardiola stepped down at the end of last season after leading City to 17 major trophies, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League, making him one of the most successful managers in the club's history and setting an extraordinarily high bar for his successor.
Maresca, who was Guardiola's assistant during City's 2022-23 Treble-winning campaign before managerial spells at Leicester and Chelsea, told UK media in Seoul that he met Guardiola in Barcelona to seek advice ahead of officially taking the job. He has moved into a different office at City's training ground and used his six months out of work to spend time with his family and attend AI masterclasses. He also identified the growing use of set-pieces, exemplified by Arsenal's title-winning campaign last season, as a key area where City must improve under new rules designed to speed up matches.
- Maresca says replacing Guardiola at Man City may be an "impossible job"
- He met Guardiola in Barcelona for advice before taking the role
- Maresca cites rising set-piece threat as an area City must improve
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Maresca's characterisation of the challenge as potentially impossible, balanced with calling it a privilege, represents an honest and mature acknowledgement of the historically high bar set by Guardiola's extraordinary achievements. Rather than expressing false confidence, his candid assessment shows respect for his predecessor's legacy whilst suggesting he understands the genuine scale of the task—a grounded perspective that thoughtful supporters and players may find reassuring rather than discouraging.
The case against
As newly appointed manager, Maresca risks undermining his own authority and demoralising his squad by using language of impossibility when his primary role is to inspire confidence and belief in the team's ability to compete. Describing objectives as unachievable is psychologically counterproductive in sport; better to acknowledge Guardiola's excellence whilst projecting determination that City's considerable resources and talent can sustain excellence under different leadership.