Inside Enzo Maresca’s first day: World Cup analysis at City

Manchester City confirmed Enzo Maresca as its new manager on Monday, and the 46‑year‑old Italian wasted no time, saying he was “already working” on his first day. He spent the flight from London to the north‑west analysing FIFA World Cup footage of Nathan Ake and Tijjani Reijnders, two City players.

Before taking the helm, Maresca had managed Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad, giving him familiarity with the club’s structure. His appointment is framed as a natural continuation of Pep Guardiola’s footballing principles that defined a decade at the Etihad Stadium.

The appointment concluded a protracted saga involving a compensation dispute with former employers Chelsea over his departure from Stamford Bridge earlier in the year. Chelsea granted Maresca permission to explore the Manchester City move in 2025 under a key condition.

Director of football Hugo Viana is steering an active summer window that already produced a club‑record £116 million signing of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest. Anderson arrives as the centerpiece of the squad Maresca inherits.

The behind‑the‑scenes footage captures Maresca admitting to in‑house media that he was “already working” while on the flight, reviewing a contest between Ake and Reijnders at the ongoing World Cup. Both Dutch internationals are already on City’s books and feature in his early analysis.

Ake and Reijnders have been linked with possible exits in recent months, underscoring the task Maresca faces in shaping a squad whose members return from international duty at staggered intervals. Pre‑season preparations are complicated by the tournament’s summer scheduling.

Supporters will gauge whether Maresca’s meticulous approach translates into the results expected at the Etihad, a judgment that will only become clear once competitive football resumes.