Enzo Maresca is being lined up for a job that may be impossible to judge on normal terms. Pep Guardiola is expected to leave Manchester City after 10 seasons in charge, and the standard he is leaving behind is staggering: 17 major trophies overall, or the trophy count listed in another source as 6 Premier League titles, 3 FA Cups, 5 EFL Cups, 3 Community Shields, the 2022-23 Champions League, the 2023 Super Cup and the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup.
That is before you get to the squad itself. City are second in the Premier League with 77 points from 36 matches, but the broader picture still looks unsettled enough that any new manager would be stepping into a rebuild, not a clean handover.
Why the Guardiola standard is so hard to match
There is a reason this appointment, if it happens, will be framed as a legacy job rather than a routine succession. Guardiola’s haul at City has been elite in both volume and spread, and Goal’s framing that he has collected silverware in all but one of his 10 seasons tells you how rare a blank year has been.
Douglas Costa’s description of Guardiola as the coach who “lives for tactics and studies everything down to the smallest detail” is crude in the best way. It gets to the point quickly. Maresca has said the same kind of detail work shaped him too, calling his time close to Pep “fundamental for my growth.”
That does not mean Maresca is Guardiola 2.0. It does mean the job makes sense only if you see him as a coach who understands the same demands, not as someone who can lower them.
City’s recent numbers also show why the handover is not simple. Their last five league results are WWDWW, which is solid form, but it still sits alongside a season in which the team has looked competitive without looking finished. Even their wider recent run across all competitions, three wins, one draw and one defeat, points to a side that remains strong but not fully settled.
Why the rebuild still looks unfinished
The squad notes in the brief are not dramatic on their own, but they matter because they suggest a club with live decisions still to make. Nico O'Reilly has 34 Premier League appearances this season, with 5 goals and 3 assists, which is useful evidence of a young player already contributing. Nathan Ake has 17 Premier League appearances, while the article set-up around the squad points to unresolved questions in several areas.
That is the version of City a successor would inherit: still near the top, still winning enough, still carrying enough transition markers to make the next manager’s first year awkward. The platform is strong. The expectation is stronger.
The Chelsea angle adds another layer, but it should not be overstated. Enzo Fernández was banned for 2 games after criticising Maresca’s sacking during the March international break, and he later said Maresca gave Chelsea identity and order. Marc Cucurella also said he worked with Maresca for 18 months and that Chelsea were more stable under him.
Those comments do not mean either player is heading to Manchester City. They do explain why Maresca’s name keeps coming up alongside possible familiarity moves if City want a coach who can inherit an environment he already knows and, perhaps, persuade players who already trust him.
For now, the key fact is simpler than the speculation. Guardiola’s exit is being discussed as something expected rather than officially confirmed, and Maresca is being discussed as a likely successor rather than an appointed one. If City do move in that direction, the first challenge will not be convincing people he is qualified. It will be surviving comparison with a standard that has already been set at the top of the sport.
FAQ
Why would Enzo Maresca be a difficult appointment for Manchester City?
Because Guardiola’s standard at Manchester City is unusually high. He is expected to leave after 10 seasons and has either 17 major trophies overall or the trophy haul listed by source as 6 Premier League titles, 3 FA Cups, 5 EFL Cups, 3 Community Shields, the 2022-23 Champions League, the 2023 Super Cup and the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup. Maresca would also inherit a squad still described as being in transition.
How has Enzo Maresca been shaped by Pep Guardiola?
Maresca has said being close to Pep was fundamental for his growth. He also said playing against Barcelona with Sevilla made him want to become a coach, and he has worked for Manchester City twice before, as Elite Development Squad head between 2020 and 2021 and then as Guardiola’s assistant from 2022 onwards.
Could Enzo Fernández or Marc Cucurella follow Enzo Maresca to Manchester City?
The brief only suggests possible reunions, not confirmed moves. Fernández said Maresca gave Chelsea identity and order, while Cucurella said Chelsea were more stable and played almost by heart under him. Fernández has 35 Premier League appearances this season, and Cucurella has 33.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →
