Pep Guardiola breaks silence after Enzo Maresca to Man City claims and Chelsea sacking
Pep Guardiola has addressed the Enzo Maresca controversy following his abrupt departure from Chelsea, amid reports linking the Italian with becoming the Spaniard’s successor at Manchester City
Pep Guardiola has declared that Chelsea have lost an “incredible manager” following Enzo Maresca’s shock departure from Stamford Bridge.
The former Manchester City assistant and academy coach’s sudden exit comes just ahead of their showdown with City, leaving an empty dugout at the Etihad on Sunday. Multiple factors contributed to Maresca’s abrupt Stamford Bridge departure, including disappointing recent results, defying medical team recommendations and disputes over transfer influence.
However, a significant element was speculation linking him with replacing Guardiola at City. The Guardian reported that Maresca informed Chelsea he had engaged in discussions about that prospect, having previously spent two stints at City under the Spanish tactician.
While Guardiola usually steers clear of commenting on managerial changes, he broke that pattern on Friday. Guardiola deflected additional questions about his own future amid reports that City had approached Maresca before his Chelsea departure, expressing appreciation for the support from his bosses during last season’s difficult spell.
“We won’t talk much if we don’t know which manager will be there and I don’t know what’s going to happen, concern is thinking about yourself and our people are going to help us with two tough games against Chelsea and Brighton. Chelsea have always been dangerous and the Premier League is dangerous every game,” reports the Mirror.
“All I can say is that from my point of view Chelsea have lost an incredible manager and an incredible person. It’s a decision from the Chelsea hierarchy so I’ve nothing to say. How lucky I am in the club where I am. My club is extraordinary.
“I have a contract. I say a thousand million times, I know you’re bored of me, I’ve been here for ten years and I promise you I will leave one day but I have a contract, I’m happy, I want to fight with my team, the hierarchy respect me – they proved last season when we didn’t win one game in three months and they supported me.”
Guardiola’s glowing assessment of Maresca comes as little shock. The Italian served two stints at City, with Guardiola hailing him as “one of the best in the world” back in early December, fuelling whispers that he might be earmarked as his eventual replacement.
When pressed about such possibilities last month, Maresca responded: “It doesn’t affect me at all because I know that is 100 per cent speculation.
“And at this moment, there is no time for these kind of things. First of all, because I have a contract here until 2029 probably. And my focus, I said many times, is just about this club, and I’m very proud to be here. But again, it’s speculation.
“One week ago I was in Italy, the same with Juventus. So I don’t pay attention because I know that is not true. It’s important to understand why this news was there but it is just speculation.”
