Manchester City’s stars are set to meet up as a group on Thursday for the first time since last week’s bombshell verdict on the club’s finances.
The majority of Enzo Maresca’s squad have spent the past fortnight away on an international duty rocked by an independent commission’s findings that City had artificially inflated commercial revenues by £830million.
City’s first assignment after the guilty verdict – which they strenuously contest and have appealed – is a hotly-anticipated trip to rivals Liverpool on Sunday, with all eyes on how they will react amid widespread calls for the harshest punishment.
They will report back to the City Football Academy on Thursday for a group session, with Maresca expected to address the players as a collective after a fraught week.
The likes of Phil Foden and Antoine Semenyo were not away with their countries and have been able to use the club’s facilities but contact with others playing across the world has been remote.
Enzo Maresca arrived at the Etihad Stadium on Monday following the club’s guilty verdict
The Italian has overseen a flawless start but the Premier League’s verdict has left the club in turmoil
Enzo Fernandez will be the last man back, with Lionel Messi’s bow for Argentina against Benin not scheduled to kick off until midnight UK time on Wednesday at River Plate’s Estadio Monumental.
The England cohort – Elliot Anderson, Marc Guehi and Rico Lewis – will travel north after Tuesday’s Nations League tie with Czech Republic but will not be expected to report back until Thursday.
Nico O’Reilly was sent home with an injury, while Norway boss Stale Solbakken calmed fears that Erling Haaland had suffered a fitness problem during Sunday’s defeat by Portugal.
‘It’s not just him [Haaland], there’s a whole bunch leaving now,’ Solbakken said. ‘They’ve been given a few days off from their clubs.’
Maresca is now at the helm following Guardiola’s departure in the summer and will be braced for an onslaught of questions about the verdict and potential punishments – ranging from fines to expulsion from the Premier League.
The Italian was snapped arriving at the club’s Etihad Stadium on Monday and will be tasked with rallying his group of stars who have enjoyed a flawless start to the season – taking a maximum 15 points from five league games.
