Enzo Maresca says City's titles are 'absolutely not' tainted after verdict
October 9, 2026 13:10
Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has rejected suggestions the club's titles are tainted after an independent commission found the club guilty of the majority of 115 charges brought by the Premier League. Maresca said the honours were "absolutely not" tainted and reiterated his trust in the club's ownership and senior executives.
CONTEXT
The independent panel found City guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League's financial regulations between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons. Manchester City have appealed and said the commission's ruling contained "clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe."
Maresca, appointed in June as Pep Guardiola's successor and in his third spell at the club after working in the academy and as Guardiola's assistant, told reporters he trusts "100% the owner, the CEO, the sporting director, all the organisation." He also said he and his players can only control "the pitch side, the football side" and are focused on that.
He declined to confirm whether he had read the commission's findings and said the charges were not discussed during talks about taking the job. Maresca added he would have "100%" accepted the role even if the findings had been published before his agreement with the club.
SPORTING SIDE
Maresca has won each of his first five Premier League games in charge and said his side are preparing to play Liverpool away on Sunday. He warned the atmosphere at Anfield "probably will be worse because of the situation" but said the team's duty was "to do our best and try to win the game." He also confirmed Erling Haaland is "ready" to play after recovering from international duty with Norway.
ADDITIONAL NOTE
Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany — a former City captain — said he had "loved all the years" he played for the club and was proud of what they achieved on the pitch.