Manchester City head coach Enzo Maresca says the “feeling is fantastic” among his players and they “don’t care too much about the noise” surrounding the club after it was found guilty of the majority of the 115 charges brought against it by the Premier League.
The club’s international players returned to training on Thursday, nine days after the Premier League published a damning report that stated the club had used “sham” contracts to disguise secret funding of more than £830m.
BBC Sport reported this week that Maresca would address the players upon their return to domestic duty after news of the verdict broke while the majority of the squad were away with their respective nations.
It is understood that the City head coach asked his players not to let the crisis that has engulfed the club affect their attitude and focus as the Premier League campaign gets back under way this weekend.
“The feeling is fantastic, to be honest,” Maresca said in an in-house interview when asked about the mood among his squad prior to their trip to face Liverpool on Sunday (16:30 BST).
“The players are excited for the next two games. But especially they are excited because in this moment we are top of the league. The players are just focused on that.
“They know what we can control is the football side – they are not worried at all about different things.
“They know their profession and they know that the noise is there, but they don’t care too much about the noise. They are just focused in this moment on how we can beat Liverpool and how, together with the fans, we can try to win in Anfield.”
Maresca added he felt “calm” and his squad trusts the club “completely”.
City have launched an appeal and have publicly maintained their innocence.
The private communication to those with links to the playing staff at City has been equally as emphatic, it is understood.
Speaking to Sky Sports, striker Erling Haaland echoed his manager’s sentiments, saying: “I care a lot about this place. I spent my first four years here, it’s a special place for us. I care a lot about City and the fans. I am a fan myself. I feel with them.
“The fans will have a good time on Sunday – we have to stick together. We have to stay with each other and stay positive. No matter what happens in life, we always have to smile. Stay positive, look ahead, and try to win football games and enjoy the situation.
“We have to stick together and spread the love to each other. Enjoy the ride and smile.”
What have other Premier League managers said?
As Premier League football returns following a three-week hiatus, managers of rival clubs can expect to be asked to comment on the City verdict during their compulsory pre-match press conferences.
Nottingham Forest boss Oliver Glasner will face the media on Friday but told reporters earlier in the week he hopes the process is completed “as soon as possible”.
Glasner joined Forest from Crystal Palace in the summer and cited his experience of the latter’s demotion from the Europa League to the Conference League in 2025 after the club breached multi-club ownership rules.
“Let’s wait until the final verdict is spoken, but my wish is just that this is quick,” Glasner said.
“Because we didn’t know with Palace if we were in the Europa League or Conference League and then it was ‘you will hear on Thursday’ and then that became Monday, because it was always delayed. Then we got the final verdict 10 days before the Conference League started.
“That’s why I think this must be [completed] as soon as possible.
“There is still damage for the Premier League, not just in England. It’s a big topic all over the world, especially in Europe.
“The most important thing is the integrity of the league because as soon as the fans can’t trust it, they won’t watch it any more.”
Some manager news conferences were held on Thursday and Leeds head coach Daniel Farke and Newcastle‘s Matthias Jaissle both steered clear of commenting at length on the matter.
It is understood a number of clubs have already taken a clear stance for their managers not to comment.
Coventry boss Frank Lampard – who played for City in the 2014-15 season – said the players will not feel they have lost their titles even if the club is stripped of them because it is part of their personal history.
City have yet to be punished but BBC Sport has been told there has been little appetite from within the Premier League – both the organisation and its clubs – for past titles to be taken from them.
“I have titles, and I don’t have my titles hanging on my wall at home; I have them in my head,” said Lampard, who won the Premier League three times with Chelsea.
“You are competing against the best in the Premier League, and a lot of things are out of [your] control, but you are competing against the best, and they’re very hard to beat.
“So I think it would be very hard to take someone’s title away as a player individually, as they should be in your head as opposed to in a beautiful glass cabinet or whatever. I know there are some who do that.”
Lampard made 38 appearances and scored eight goals when he joined City in 2014 after 13 years at Chelsea.
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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
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