The new Manchester City manager will do it his way despite the obvious similarities with Pep Guardiola | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca finally faced the media for the first time yesterday as Manchester City manager. Given that Maresca was Pep Guardiola’s assistant during City’s famous treble-winning 2022-23 campaign, there are similarities between the way that Pep Guardiola and Enzo Maresca like their teams to play. That is to be expected and was a factor as to why City employed Maresca to be Guardiola’s replacement. Manchester City want to continue to play the possession-based football that Guardiola employed. However, Maresca pointed out yesterday that he is his own manager and he isn’t aiming to copy and paste Pep Guardiola’s methods.

Enzo Maresca has his own method and he was quick to point that out yesterday.

Speaking yesterday, in his first press conference as Manchester City manager, Enzo Maresca was quick to point out that he isn’t looking to copy Pep Guardiola’s footballing philosophies. The new Manchester City manager told the media that he will manage the FA Cup and Carabao Cup holders his way. Maresca told the media yesterday: “For me, it’s important to make it clear that I’m here to do my job the way I want. I’m not here to copy someone, I’m here to do my job, to install my football, the way I see football.”

Enzo Maresca also pointed out that there will be change at Manchester City. He said that while managers like himself and Pep Guardiola share philosophies and ideas, there will be differences in Maresca’s City side to Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering team. The Italian manager explained: “Every manager is different. There can be similar concepts, but every manager is different. The way we approach day-by-day and the approach to games will be different.”

“We’ll see what we need to tweak concepts, but I don’t think any manager can copy and paste another manager. I can copy and paste but I don’t see the football the same way as other managers. That’s why I don’t believe in copy and paste.“

Enzo Maresca’s Manchester City side will be a different beast to Pep Guardiola’s side, although it may take time for those differences to become noticeable.

Manchester City knew exactly what they were getting when they appointed Enzo Maresca to be Pep Guardiola’s successor. They were getting a manager who shares a similar philosophy to Guardiola, and one who is familiar with several City players and to the club itself. However, the Manchester City hierarchy will not expect Maresca to be Pep Guardiola. As Maresca pointed out, he will go about his new job his way, and while there will be similarities with how Pep Guardiola’s side and Maresca’s will play, there will be differences but they may take time to reveal themselves.

It is a given that Maresca’s side will play a possession-based style of play. That is to be expected. Enzo Maresca instilled this style of play at Leicester City and Chelsea. How City build-up and press will be different under Maresca. Also, there will be other tactical nuances that City will show under Maresca. They are unlikely to be evident straight away when the 2026-27 season begins. But given time, they will reveal themselves and as next season takes shape, so will Enzo Maresca’s Manchester City side.

Enzo Maresca pointed out that he is his own manager and not a Pep Guardiola clone. The new Manchester City manager has his own method, which was on show during his managerial spells at Leicester City and Chelsea. It may take time to come to fruition, but eventually this City side will take shape under Maresca and it will be fascinating to see how that unfolds.