Maresca accepts the pressure: “If I don’t win, it will be a disaster”

“If I don’t win, it will be a disaster,” Maresca said, acknowledging the pressure that comes with succeeding Pep Guardiola. He also called being at the club after a legend a privilege, while insisting that his focus is on improving his team and winning matches.

The 5-3 victory over Sunderland before the break highlighted differences between Guardiola and Maresca. City are top, three points ahead of Arsenal. Maresca, meanwhile, has won his first five league matches, making him the sixth manager in Premier League history to achieve that start. Carlo Ancelotti, Pep Guardiola and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer each won their first six games; Craig Shakespeare and Maurizio Sarri had five.

Guardiola’s best start with the “Sky Blues” is therefore central to the comparison. In 2017 and 2024, Guardiola put together a run of six wins, a mark Maresca can equal. But Maresca rejects the idea that he is there to imitate. “I’m not here to copy anyone; I’m here to do my job and impose my way of seeing football. It’s an interesting challenge because I consider Guardiola the best coach of the last 20 years,” he said.

Comments about Maresca point to both similarities and differences. Guardiola predicted that Enzo would be “an extraordinary coach”, comparing him with Mikel Arteta. Carles Planchart, a former Guardiola assistant, believes Maresca has brought together ideas learned from Pep and other coaches. Brian Barry-Murphy, meanwhile, described their footballing vision and training methods as similar.

Maresca nevertheless insists on his own approach. At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea allowed opponents 10.72 passes per defensive action (PPDA), compared with 11.55 for Guardiola’s City. And after the thrilling match against Sunderland, Maresca summed up his preference: “To be honest, I’d rather win 1-0 than 5-3.”