Maresca Defends Manchester City Titles After Guilty Verdict

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has defended the club's past achievements and expressed confidence in its leadership after an independent commission found the Premier League champions guilty of most of 115 alleged financial rule breaches. Speaking at a news conference on Friday, October 9, 2026, Maresca said the club was appealing the verdict and insisted his immediate priority was preparing the team for Sunday's match against Liverpool at Anfield.

The commission found Manchester City guilty of breaches involving financial reporting, player and manager payments, and cooperation with league investigators. According to reports from the BBC and Sky Sports, the alleged violations covered the 2009-10 through 2017-18 seasons and included arrangements described by the commission as sham contracts and a scheme to disguise more than £830 million in funding.

Manchester City has challenged the ruling, arguing in a statement that the decision contains material errors involving law, principle and fact. The club maintains its position as the appeal process continues, while Maresca declined to discuss possible consequences before the proceedings conclude.

Addressing questions about whether the verdict undermines the club's trophies, Maresca rejected that suggestion and referred to the work undertaken during his previous spell at City, when he served as an assistant to Pep Guardiola during the 2022-23 treble-winning season.

"Absolutely not. I know the effort from the players, the club and the manager at the time, Pep (Guardiola), so I don't have any doubt about that." Maresca said, according to Sky Sports.

The Italian, who succeeded Guardiola as head coach in June 2026, also reaffirmed his confidence in the club's ownership and senior executives. He said the financial allegations were not discussed during negotiations over his appointment and that he would have accepted the position even if the commission's findings had been published earlier.

"The reason why I joined this club is I completely trust 100 per cent, the owner, the sporting director, the CEO - all the organisation. I have no doubt about that." Maresca said, according to Sky Sports.

He added that club officials believed the appeal would succeed, although he acknowledged that he had not read the commission's full findings. Maresca said he had spoken with club representatives but considered it premature to discuss the situation in detail while the appeal remained unresolved.

"I think they are convinced that in the end we will win the appeal." Maresca said, according to Sky Sports.

Asked how the controversy might affect the squad, Maresca said players and coaching staff could control their performances rather than developments outside football. He reported a positive atmosphere inside the club and said the team understood the seriousness of the case.

"For me, for the players, we can control just the football side. We are focused on that and that is what we can control, we can't control anything different." Maresca said, according to Sky Sports.

Manchester City enter the Liverpool match after winning their first five Premier League games under Maresca, according to the BBC. Victory at Anfield would give the Italian an opportunity to extend that run to six consecutive league wins at the start of his managerial tenure.

Maresca acknowledged that the circumstances surrounding the verdict could intensify the reception awaiting City at Anfield, where the team is preparing for its first match since the commission's decision became public. He said the players would need to maintain their focus despite the expected hostility.

"It will be a tough game, for sure. We need to be ready, the focus needs to be about the game, but we know the environment at Anfield." Maresca said, according to the BBC.

Former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany, now Bayern Munich manager, also addressed the controversy. He distinguished his memories of the club's sporting achievements from matters outside the pitch, saying his attention was currently on his responsibilities in Germany.

"I played 11 years for the club and I've loved all the years I've played for the club. Everything we've achieved and done on the pitch I'm really proud of." Kompany said, according to the BBC.