Pep Guardiola has made no secret of his admiration for Enzo Maresca in the past, as the former Chelsea manager emerges as the red-hot favourite to succeed him at the helm of Manchester City.
The bombshell news that Guardiola will be leaving the former Premier League champions following this weekend's season finale dropped suddenly on Monday night, with the 55-year-old poised to bring the curtain down on an illustrious, trophy-laden decade in Manchester imminently.
Speculation over Guardiola's future has been rife for months, and after weeks of rumblings that the end was near, official confirmation of the Spaniard's impending exit is expected soon.
Maresca worked under Guardiola as an assistant coach at The Etihad before becoming a manager in his own right at Leicester and Chelsea, and the Italian is expected to replace his old mentor as Manchester City's next head coach. He is unattached after leaving Chelsea on January 1 and would therefore be available to step in straight away to help lead preparations for the 2026-27 campaign.
Guardiola's High Praise for Maresca
If Maresca does, as expected, go on to be appointed, then Guardiola has already made it clear how highly he rates the 46-year-old. Speaking last year, he said of his former protege: “One of the best managers in the world, Enzo Maresca, I know him quite well but, the job he has done at Chelsea does not get enough credit. Winning the Club World Cup, Conference League, qualification for the Champions League in a league that is so tough with a young team. It is exceptional.”
While Guardiola is evidently a huge fan of Maresca having worked with him at close quarters, following the former Barcelona chief is a tall order given the unprecedented levels of success he has enjoyed at Manchester City.
Guardiola's Legacy at Manchester City
Guardiola has won six league titles, the Champions League, three FA Cups, and five League Cups. He could yet land a seventh Premier League crown if City win their final two games and Arsenal drop points against Crystal Palace on Sunday but has already achieved a domestic cup double in his final campaign in Manchester.
Gary Neville paid tribute to Guardiola by comparing the aftershock of his departure to that of previous managerial greats such as Kenny Dalglish and Sir Alex Ferguson after learning of the news during Arsenal's game against Burnley on Monday night.
“I'm surprised that it's broken right now,” he said on Sky Sports. “Not just because it's during this match but it's the night before a Man City game. Something like that is gamechanger news. I think of being in school and the news of Kenny Dalglish leaving Liverpool, or Sir Alex Ferguson leaving Man Utd and Jurgen Klopp leaving Liverpool recently. They're just such huge moments in football, and I don't see it's news Man City would let get out or would want out. If it is true, Man City will be extremely disappointed that has broken now and so will Pep Guardiola.”
