After spending considerable time with Enzo Maresca during his 18-month tenure at Chelsea, it’s evident that he would fit perfectly into Manchester City.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a coach whose playing style mirrors that of Pep Guardiola, whom Maresca greatly admires from his time playing for Barcelona in La Liga.
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Maresca turned Chelsea into a possession-focused team known for their deliberate build-up play. They consistently deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation in nearly every match, but the players’ fluid movement allowed them to adjust their tactics based on opponents and keep their strategies unpredictable.
His last six months at Chelsea were marred by a strained relationship with the club’s ownership, who learned of Manchester City’s interest in him early in the season through his agent, Jorge Mendes. They were also made aware of Maresca’s grievances regarding player transfers at Stamford Bridge.
Despite the tension—partially attributed to a decline in the team’s performance following his mid-season departure and Chelsea’s struggles this season—the club hierarchy respected much of his work with the players, and he remained well-liked among the majority of the squad.
Nevertheless, Chelsea claims they are entitled to compensation following Maresca’s exit and are exploring their legal avenues.
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The club anticipates that a compensation deal will be settled either with Manchester City or with the manager himself, although details regarding the amount or the timeline for resolution remain unclear.
Maresca contends that only a recent agreement with City has paved the way for their ongoing legal discussions.
Commenting on his departure at the CAA World Congress of Sports, influential Chelsea owner Behdad Eghbali remarked last month: “The change wasn’t the club’s decision, for reasons I can’t discuss legally.
“I believe the reasons will become clear in due time. But no, this is not a change we desired to make.”