Enzo Maresca insists Man City titles are not tainted by guilty verdict amid appeal prediction

Enzo Maresca remained defiant in the face of Manchester City’s legal woes, saying he expects the club to win its appeal and insisting the titles he won as an assistant to Pep Guardiola are not tainted.

City maintain their innocence and have appealed, saying they hold ‘irrefutable’ evidence that will clear their name. Should that appeal fail, the club could face sanctions as severe as expulsion from the Premier League.

Maresca broke his silence on the charges in an interview with City’s in-house media channels on Thursday, saying he “trusts completely” the club and insisting the mood in the squad is high, despite reports suggesting there is a burgeoning sense of anxiety among the players.

In the hotseat: Enzo Maresca faces the press

PA

Maresca appeared relaxed as he faced the national media on Friday, keeping his cards close to his chest as he repeated his unwavering faith in the club’s executives to see them through this storm.

In a pre-Liverpool press conference which covered very little football, Maresca echoed his claims from Thursday’s interview, saying: “I understand the reason why most of you are here, but the only thing I can say is something I already said. There is a process ongoing, and in this moment I completely trust the club. This is what I can say about that.”

He did, however, explain when he might be able to add more information about the case - when City win its appeal.

Asked if he had spoken with Kaldoon Al Mubarak, Maresca explained: “I spoke with the club, for sure. We all trust. The right moment to speak about that is when we win that appeal.”

Maresca served as an assistant under Guardiola for much of his title-winning heroics, but insisted he did not consider those titles to be ‘tainted’: “Absolutely not. The last time I was here was the treble season. l I know the effort from the players, the club, the manager at that time, I know exactly the effort the club put to achieve that target. I don’t have any doubt about that.”

Pressed as to why he trusts the club, he added: “I trust the club because I trust the people. This is the reason why I joined. There is not another club in the world where I would like to be. I am very happy to be here, very proud, I have said many times.

“I completely trust the club, in this moment, in the future, always. Thank you.”

Maresca did admit, however, he had not personally read the Premier League’s decision, saying: “I probably should. I don’t understand many things about many things. I focus on what I can control, the football side.”