Maresca praises FC Porto before Champions debut: “A very good side”

In partnership with

Portal dos Dragões

·8 September 2026

Maresca praises FC Porto before Champions debut: “A very good side”

Enzo Maresca, Manchester City manager, highlighted FC Porto’s quality in the build-up to the match between the two teams, corresponding to the first round of the Champions League league phase.

“They are a very good team. They have a very clear style of play. They are aggressive without the ball, so congratulations to FC Porto. But tomorrow I hope we can win,” he said at a press conference in which he also commented on the statements made by Francesco Farioli. The Porto coach had pointed out that Manchester City invested 527 million euros in the last transfer window. “That is a question for Francesco. From my point of view, it is not pressure, it is a privilege,” replied the Citizens coach.

OneFootball Videos

On their status as favourites, Maresca was cautious: “Favourites? We are here to do our best. The game will define who the favourites are. It is a difficult ground to play at. We will try to do our best and win the game. I know FC Porto are strong from set pieces. That is part of the game. We have to be perfect in our game,” he added, also addressing the new Champions League format.

“It is always special, a beautiful competition, and we have to adapt. It is a different competition, but the ambition remains the same,” he said.

Erling Haaland, one of the main figures in the English team and the current vice-captain, with Rúben Dias wearing the armband, was also a topic at the press conference. Asked about the striker’s development, Maresca replied in good spirits.

“He is a man now. He is a father. When he arrived here, he was not a father yet. Now he is a father and life has changed completely because his priority has become his child. I am very happy for him, because he was already excellent as a player and as a person, but now you can see that he is complete. He is a family man and he keeps scoring goals. I am very happy for him,” he concluded.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.