Enzo Maresca holds first press conference since Man City verdict

Sky Sports News

Maresca backs Manchester City and insists the club's achievements are not tainted in first press conference after verdict

In his first press conference since the verdict, Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca repeatedly expressed complete trust in the club, its owners and executives, and said past achievements were not tainted. He also said he would still have joined if the findings had been published earlier, while insisting the appeals process should be respected and his players should focus on the match at Liverpool.

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Transcript

Thanks Simon. Hi Enzo. Dan Roman BBC. You [snorts] have referred to the controversy surrounding city as noise. Is that somewhat dismissive of genuine anger that is felt by many towards the findings of the commission that have found that the club cheated over many years? Do you understand why there is such outrage and anger? Uh first of all uh morning uh I understand uh the reason why uh most of you uh you are here but uh the [clears throat] only thing I can say is that uh is something that I already I already said that uh there is a process ongoing uh and in this moment [music] I completely trust uh trust the club. So this is uh this is what I can say about that. >> Why do you trust the club? Have you have you sought clarity from them? Uh have you asked to see the irrefutable evidence they refer to? And your predecessor Pep Guardiola once said that if the club is relegated, he would stay. Will you give that commitment as well? >> First of all, I trust the club because I trust the people and this is also the reason why I'm uh I joined the club. And then there is not another club in the world that where I would like to be. So I'm very happy to be here. I'm very proud. I said many times since day one. So uh this is this is my thought. >> Hello Enzo. Steve Scott from ITV News. You were obviously uh here before and you worked with PEP. Do the achievements that you had then now look different to you? >> Absolutely not. Uh again I the last time I was here was the treble season. I know the effort from the players from the club from the manager in that time that was Pep. So I know exactly the effort that the club put to achieve that kind of you know target. So I don't have any doubt about that. >> They don't feel tainted to you. >> Absolutely not. And do you feel sympathy with your current crop of players because it's not their fault where they are and they will be taking flack every match between now and the end of the season. Do you have sympathy for them? >> Again the players I said already that uh for me for the players uh we can control just the pitch side the football side. So we are focused on that and this is what we can we can do and we can control. We cannot uh control something different. >> Okay. Thanks, Steve. Rob, >> you've got the rest of the season to finish and to trust the Premier League. Do you share the view of your CEO that there's a conspiracy against the club by the Premier League? again uh I understand the reason why most of you you are here but uh the only thing I can say is what I said already that uh the reason why I joined this club is because I completely trust 100% the owner the CEO the sport director all the organization so I don't have any doubt about that >> have you had personal assurances from shake mansour >> I spoke with the club for sure and we all trust And probably the right moment to speak about that is when we're going to win this this appeal. >> Hi Enzo. There's we've heard that Pep's going to be coming to the game on Tuesday night. Have you spoken to him at all in the last few days? Has he been in touch with you? >> I spoke with the Pep the last time after Man United game after the derby. That was the last time I spoke with the Pep and uh but I know that he's coming on Tuesday. >> How much does it mean to you to know you've got his sort of backing and all this? >> Anyway, it's always a pleasure. is uh after 10 years 10 years here he can come at any time he wants not just for the game for for training session for at any moment so it's will be I think it will be nice for him it will be nice for the fans for everyone hi Enzo in May um 2022 Pep Guardiola said that the moment he realizes the club has lied to him he will walk away would this be the same for you that you know if it's confirmed Would you would you consider your position? >> Listen, I I I just said I would like to speak about this situation when we're going to win the appeal. now is uh is it's no sense to speak about anything because uh I don't have many many many information but again I understand the reason why you know most of you are here because you want to hear something but uh no to a certain extent should it maybe be calak the chairman or farano who's be sitting here for this particular press conference answering these questions because really as you're saying it's nothing too much to do with you is it should it maybe be your chairman or your chief executive here. >> Don't forget that. >> Okay, one last one then >> at the moment. So, could that change? >> Sorry, that was a wrong uh answer. I completely trust the club in this moment in the future always. Thank you. So, I can modify the answer. >> Hi, Enzo. Um, obviously on Sunday, I'm sure this will bring the group together out on the pitch, but with this hanging over you potent No, you cannot uh avoid a avoid we understand we completely situation. I'm not saying that we don't understand that we understand the player understand but it's uh it's our duty also because again the manager and the players we are focused to win games not about something different. Hi, Andrew. Could I just just clarify something that you said to Jamie there about um I I completely understand why you say you trust the club and you trust what they're saying to you, but if the if the appeal is lost, I think that's what if the appeal is lost, what happens? What do you what happens in your head then? >> And what happen if the appeal we won? What's happening? >> I can I can imagine what will happen if you win. But if you lose the same, I don't know. It's we are predicting the the future. I'm not uh again you know that I'm worried about tomorrow in two days in three days. I don't know what's happening in the future. The only thing I can say is that uh I think it's fair from my point of view from all of us to respect the process. The process okay verdict. There is an appeal ongoing. We see what's happen. >> You made such a good start to the season. I would imagine most [clears throat] Manchester City fans would would want to hear you say even if we lose the appeal. I mean I mean for I mean Pep once said he'd be happy to manage in League One. It was a joke but he still said it. I think City fans would probably be very happy to hear you say the same. >> I I won the Championship with the Leicester. So in case in League One we're going to see but again we are we are thinking about something that uh we don't know. And just about the players um with England last week, Thomas Tukul said that he was a bit concerned about the um effect psychologically on some of the City players that were with him with England. Have you felt the need to talk to them about what it might be like not just Sunday for the rest of the season >> viewing the environment in the last two days inside the building? Uh no, I'm not worried at all. Again the environment is from the players is is is nice. In this moment we are top of the league. So the players they have all the reason to be happy and excited and and so um before the international break you um went to Old Trafford and and won with 10 men. Um but is Anfield Liverpool away? Is there a bigger test in the Premier League? You've been before with City and seen how difficult it can be there. >> Yeah will be a tough game for sure. tough test as you said but uh again we need to be we need to be ready not uh uh only I mean the focus has to be about the game but also we know that the environment in Anfield is uh it's nice uh probably will be even worse because of the situation but uh again will be our duty to do to try to do our best and win the game >> in terms of what you learned from your players at Old Trafford have you got any doubts about them going forward that they can you know they can face the pressure. >> Absolutely. They can face the pressure. Absolutely. Uh we have player that they already experience similar situation. I don't know. And so Fernandez is playing in Argentina. Argentina it's a it's almost every game to go to Anfield so it's not a problem. >> Hi Enzo. You were here in 2022 23 when the the charges were first announced and the team then went on to win the treble. How did you as players and staff use that that news to kind of rally everyone together? >> Yeah, in this moment it's also matter of you know the be together uh stick together as Erling said yesterday is is true. In this moment it's a matter of you know this is the situation this is the noise but the most important thing is that we continue to do the right things we are you know in the same page uh with the players with the owner the co the sport director the fans and again as I said yesterday what do we need in athletics also you know the passion from our fans their voice and hopefully at the end we can we can celebrate a good a good win >> and Reuben was here was here they're now your captain and and vice captain can they help you to kind of keep carry in the dressing room. >> Yeah, especially they need to help the teammates, you know, uh and they are they are doing that. But again, I like I understand that probably you want to hear to hear or to listen different words from me. But the real words is that the players, yes, the noise is there, but they are 20 25 years old. you know they they come they enjoy they training session they go home happy they are top of the league so the players they are relax they are just thinking how we can beat Liverpool and hopefully we're going to try [clears throat] I'm sorry Enzo you were here in in February 20 2023 sorry when the charges were first announced can you remember how Pep and you and the rest of the your staff handled that at that moment to keep them all together and is it something that will teach you how to to to do it again this time >> exactly in the same way just try to manage the noise because again we understand the seriousness of the situation we understand the noise completely 100% it's something [snorts] serious but at the same time uh we just need to manage that and focus on on what we can do and we can control that is try to prepare the game in the best way try to go to Anfield and win the game >> Enzo can I just ask if if the commission's finding things had been published before you agreed to join city, would you have still agreed to become the manager? >> 100%. >> And can I ask ask why that is? >> Because uh again, I know the organization from years ago and I know how serious they are. I know that they they do the right things. So again, I I I would like to speak about this when we're going to win the the appeal. Enzo, just following on from that, did you when you were talking to the club about taking the job, did you raise the subject of the charges? Did they raise the subject of it at all? Did it come into the conversation? >> No. No. To be honest, we didn't speak about that because uh I don't think that was a problem for the club in that time also because they are thinking in a in an in honest way. So I think they are convinced that uh uh at the end we're going to win the appeal. >> Let's take two two more just over here and then in the corner. >> I answer Erling played four games for Norway. How is he feeling now? >> Finally. Ah [snorts] he's good. He's good. He went to Marba two three days off play golf recovery and ready for Anfield. But he's good. Thank you. >> How was it to see him again? >> It was good. It was good also because uh again the players they are you know the players they are thinking again international team someday off and go again. So it was uh it was good. >> Hi Enzo. Um it's obviously a strange situation for the players but I know when you played you were involved at the time of Kalopoli in Italy and I think you were invest you were interviewed as part of those investigations. What was that experience like for you and can you sort of help the I know it's different but also it's similar to it's off the field. So what do you take from that time and what can you tell your players about that? >> It's a it's quite different situation. Again the focus for me in that time that's why I'm saying that the players with 20 25 years they are just thinking how they can train how they can get better and think about uh about the game but they are quite a different situation. Okay, final question. >> Thank you. >> Morning. I guess most questions have already been asked, but I was just wondering, have you read the verdict yourself or do you trust that the club provides you with all the information you need? >> Uh again, I trust the club because I know the people. Uh but I promise you that uh you know, my my focus is just about uh football. So I'm not uh uh thinking about different things first of all because I don't understand many things about different things. So I just focus about the things that I control that is uh the fuber side. >> Okay. Thank you guys.