Maresca backs Manchester City to win appeal ahead of Anfield test

Manchester City head coach Enzo Maresca has spoken publicly for the first time since an independent commission found the club guilty of all charges linked to serious breaches of Premier League financial rules. He said the owners are convinced the appeal will succeed and stressed that he has complete confidence in the club’s hierarchy.

The commission ruled that, between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 seasons, City used sham contracts with several commercial partners as part of a disguised funding arrangement that artificially increased revenue by £830m. City confirmed their appeal last Friday, saying they are innocent and arguing that the judgment contains serious errors of law, principle and fact.

Maresca acknowledged that he had not read the commission’s findings, saying his focus remains on football and on managing the surrounding noise. He also rejected the idea that City’s achievements during the period were tainted, citing the work of the players, the club and Pep Guardiola. Maresca, who assisted Guardiola during the 2022/23 treble-winning season, joined as head coach this summer.

ColdMath take

City now face Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday with a perfect record of five wins from five and first place in the table. Maresca’s next task is to keep the squad focused amid the legal dispute and a highly charged match environment.

Liverpool are unbeaten under Andoni Iraola, with three draws in their opening five games, making the fixture an important early test for both teams.