Enzo Maresca says Man City's titles are "absolutely not" tainted despite club being found guilty of breaking the majority of the 115 financial rules they were accused of breaching
Maresca says he "completely trusts the club" and will speak about his future "when we win the appeal"
15 Premier League managers speaking today as the top flight returns
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Manchester City will face Liverpool in the Premier League after an extended international break.
It is the club's first game since they were found guilty of the majority of the 115 Premier League charges.
The match will take place at Anfield on Sunday, 11 October at 16:30 BST.
Enzo Maresca on whether he would manage Manchester City in a lower league
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Tristan 12:09, unfortunately, that creates silly spenders that my team (Pompey) are still recovering from!
Tom, Hampshire
Liverpool v Man City (Sun, KO 16:00 GMT)
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester City fans have spoken to BBC Sport to share how they're feeling after the club were found guilty of the majority of the 115 charges levelled against them.
City fan Steven McInerney said: "My mood's varied between doomscrolling and catastrophising to suddenly feeling quite defiant and thinking this is just football."
His first City match was in 1994. Back then, the Blues were enjoying their third consecutive season in the newly formed English top flight under the management of Brian Horton.
"I've been in every mood possible, which for a City fan, is pretty normal," he said.
"People largely didn't expect the verdict to come because this had been going on for so long. It blindsided me and I think it blindsided the football world.
"All I want to do is make sure my club is going to survive this.
"If your club does things that are out of your control, it affects you as a fan. It's going to be a lot harder to enjoy football until this all comes to fruition. I don't expect anyone to care about that, and that's fair enough."
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Clubs should be allowed to spend whatever they want.
Tristan, Watford
Liverpool v Man City (Sun, 16:30 BST)
BBC sports editor Dan Roan asked Enzo Maresca at his news conference whether he still trusted the Man City owners after the club was found guilty of breaking the majority of their 115 financial charges.
Here's Maresca's response:
Maresca 'completely trusts' City
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I understand football is tribal but I am still slightly surprised how entrenched Man City fans are about their innocence - it is so obvious to everyone else but many City fans refuse to accept it. The evidence is all there!
Tom, Staffs
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If City have all this evidence to prove innocence, beyond doubt, why didn’t they provide it to the initial investigation? Why only now after being found guilty?
Perry, Lancashire
Manchester City will claim as part of their appeal that key sponsorship deals were funded by the Abu Dhabi government, rather than the club's owners.
Owners Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG) - a private investment company belonging to United Arab Emirates vice-president and deputy prime minister Sheikh Mansour - are said to have topped up the value of commercial deals as part of a "disguised funding scheme" to the scale of £830.69m.
This, it was argued, enabled the club to appear to comply with Premier League and Uefa financial rules.
Premier League rules allow state-owned bodies to sponsor clubs.
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Brilliant performance from Enzo today. Love it. Backed the club 100%. Seige mentality exactly what is needed now.
Paul, Northwich
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Frankly it feels like City are still laughing in our faces, as if they're going to get away with it. Need I remind Maresca, they've actually been found guilty. By an independent commission. I'd trust that more.
Stephen, Manchester
And that's all of our Enzo Maresca's answers.
A lot to digest. Let's hear your thoughts first.
Liverpool v Man City (Sun, 16:30 BST)
Maresca on if there are any bigger tests than Liverpool away:
"Yeah it will be a tough game, Liverpool, for sure. A test, as you said. We need to be ready, the focus needs to be about the game but we know the environment in Anfield. It probably will be worse because of the situation, but again it will be our duty to do our best and try to win the game."
Has he got any doubts about the players after Old Trafford?
"Absolutely they can face the pressure, absolutely. We have players that they already experience similar situations. Enzo Fernandez, he's playing in Argentina. In Argentina it's almost every game to go to Anfield. So it's not a problem.
Liverpool v Man City (Sun, 16:30 BST)
Maresca on if he's read the verdict himself:
"I trust the club, because I know the people but I promise you that my focus is just about football.
"I'm not thinking about different things, first of all because I don't understand many things about different things so I just focus on the things I can control and that is the football side."
Liverpool v Man City (Sun, 16:30 BST)
More from Enzo Maresca: "No, you cannot avoid [this situation]. We understand, we completely understand the situation. I'm not saying we don't understand that. We understand, the players understand, but it's our duty... because the manager, the players it's our focus to win games. Not about something different." If the appeal is lost, what happens in your head then?
"What if the appeal is won? It is the same, I don't know. We are predicting the future. Again, you know I'm worried about tomorrow, in two-three days, I don't know what's happening in the future. The only thing I can say today is that I think it's fair that from my point of you, from all of us, to respect the process. The process, OK, verdict, there is an appeal ongoing, we see what happens."
City fans would like you to stay if you lose the appeal. Pep joked about managing in League One, City fans would like you to say the same.
"I won the Championship with Leicester. So League One, we are going to see. But again, we are thinking about something we don't know."
Thomas Tuchel said he was worried about the psychological effect on the Manchester City players. Have you talked to the players about what it might be like for the rest of the season?
"Viewing the environment, inside the last few days, inside the building, no I'm not worried at all. The environment is from the players, is nice. In this moment we are top of the league so the players have all the reason to be happy and excited."
Liverpool v Man City (Sun, 16:30 BST)
Maresca is also asked whether when he was talking to the club about taking the job did anyone bring the charges into the conversation?
"No. No to be honest. We didn't speak about that because I don't think it was a problem for the club at the time and I think they are are thinking in an honest way, I think they are convinced that in the end we are going to win the appeal."
On Erling Haaland's fitness: "Thank you, finally. He's good, he went to Marbella, two or three days off, played golf, recovery. Ready for Anfield, he is good."
How was it to see him again?
"It was good, The players hey are thinking, International team, time off, go again, so it was good."
When you played you were interviewed as part of the Calciopoli investigations. Can you help the players now, from that time?
"It's a quite different situation, again the focus for me in that time, that's why I'm saying the players are thinking about how they can train, how they can get better, focus on the game. But they are different situations."
Liverpool v Man City (Sun, 16:30 BST)
Maresca is asked if he remembers how Guardiola and his staff handled the charges first being announced in February, 2023. He says:
"Exactly the same way just try to manage the noise, because we understand the seriousness of the situation, we understand the noise completely 100% it's something serious. But at the same time we need to manage that and we need to focus on what we can do and we can control and we can prepare for the game in the best way and go to Anfield and win the game."
If the commissions findings had been published before you decided to join City, would you have still agreed to become the manager?
"100%".
Can I ask Why?
"I know the organisation from years ago, I know how serious they are, I know they do the right things. I would like to speak about this when we win the appeal."
Liverpool v Man City (Sun, 16:30 BST)
More from Maresca:
You were here in 2022-23 when the chargers were first announced, then the team went on to win the treble, how did you use that news to rally everyone together?
"In this moment it's also a matter of be together, stick, together as Erling [Haaland] said yesterday, it is true. In this moment it is a matter of this is the situation, this is the noise, but the most important thing is we should continue to do the right things. We are on the same page with the owners, players, CEO, sport directors, the fans. What we need is the passion from our fans, their voice and hopefully at the end we can celebrate a good win."
Erling Haaland and Ruben Dias, as vice captain and captain, can they help to keep carry the dressing room?
"They need to help their teammates and they are doing that. But again I understand that you want to hear or listen to different words from me, but the real words is that the players, the noise is there but they are 20, 25 years old, they enjoy their training, they go home happy, they are top of the league, so they are relaxed. They are just thinking about how to beat Liverpool and hopefully we are going to try."
Liverpool v Man City (Sun, 16:30 BST)
A journalists points out to Maresca that in May 2022, Guardiola said the moment he realises the club has lied to him, he would walk away.
Maresca is then asked if the same would be for him:
"I just said, I would like to speak about this situation when we win the appeal. Now is no sense to speak about anything because I don't have many information, but I understand the reason why most of you are here, because most of you want to hear something. But no."
Should the chairman or Ferran Soriano be sat here instead of you?
Press officer: "This is the Liverpool presser."
Liverpool v Man City (Sun, 16:30 BST)
Maresca on if he has spoken to Pep in the last few days:"I spoke with Pep the last time after Manchester United game, after the derby. That was the last time I spoke with Pep. But I know that he is coming on Tuesday."
How much does it mean to know he's got Guardiola's backing?
"It's always a pleasure. After 10 years time he can come any time he wants. Not just for game, for training session, at any moment. It will be nice for him, it will be nice for the fans, for everyone.
