Maresca aims to bring ‘new concepts’

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca said on Friday people may be quick to judge his side, as he prepared for his first game in charge since succeeding Pep Guardiola.

The Italian formally took over last month following the departure of the legendary Catalan, who steered the club to 20 trophies during a supremely successful decade at the Etihad Stadium.

Maresca will lead City out for the first time in a pre-season friendly against Inter Milan in Hong Kong on Saturday.

“We’re going to be judged, always -- not just tomorrow,” the former Chelsea and Leicester boss said at a news conference.

“We started 10 days ago, all together, we are introducing some new concepts, so it’s also important tomorrow to see something.

“I don’t believe in copy and paste. I think every manager (is) different... so it’s my target, my duty, to try to introduce some new ideas.”

Several of City’s World Cup stars have not travelled with the squad to Hong Kong, the first stop on an Asia tour that will also include two games in Seoul.

Among them are striker Erling Haaland -- last season’s Premier League top scorer -- and Rodri, who captained Spain to World Cup victory this month.

The midfielder is recovering from minor back surgery and has been rumoured to be a transfer target for Real Madrid.

Maresca dismissed the links as “speculation” and said he and the club hierarchy had not had “any conversations just focused on Rodri”.

“The main focus for him when the season finished was the World Cup. Now he is enjoying some rest.

“Every manager in the world wants Rodri because he’s a top player, so it’s important for me, for the club, for everyone, but now he needs his holiday.”

Inter announced the signing on Thursday of former City defender John Stones on a two-year deal.

The 32-year-old left the Manchester club when his contract expired at the end of last month, and helped England to a third-placed finish at the World Cup.

“For us, having the possibility to get John Stones (as) a free agent, it’s important,” Inter head coach Cristian Chivu said on Friday.

“It’s important for the quality he brings, it’s important for the personality, for the charisma he has, for the experience that he has shown.

“It’s one defender added to our group of defenders who will definitely improve the department.”

Meanwhile, Jack Grealish has hit back at claims that he was snubbed by Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca for the club’s pre-season tour.

Grealish has been left out of City’s trip to Hong Kong and Seoul as Maresca’s side prepare for the new Premier League season.

The 30-year-old England winger’s absence was interpreted as a sign he will not be part of Maresca’s plans in the forthcoming campaign.

But Grealish responded by insisting he is still recovering from season-ending surgery on a foot injury in February.

“Just to let you know I’m still recovering from an injury so I’m not training yet,” he wrote in the comments of a subsequently deleted Instagram post on Thursday.

“Haven’t been ‘left out’ so stop talking poo poo thanks.”

Grealish made a £100 million ($133 million) move from boyhood club Aston Villa in 2021 and has won three Premier League titles with City.

He was part of City’s treble-winning side of 2022-23, but gradually fell out of favour with former boss Pep Guardiola amid reports about his off-field behaviour.

Agence France-Presse