Enzo Maresca’s Nine-Word Stance on News of Man City’s 115 Charges
Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca appears to have appealed to calmness and consideration in the wake of news claiming that his club has been found guilty of more than 100 breaches relating to the Premier League’s financial regulations.
Maresca was Pep Guardiola’s assistant when City were first charged by the Premier League in February 2023. The Italian coach has since left the club, won three trophies with Leicester City and Chelsea before returning to take on the hot seat that has now ratcheted up in temperature.
No official verdict has yet been communicated, and there is still an appeals process City can use, but the club are staring down the barrel of some very serious punishments, with staggering points deductions and retroactive penalties a real possibility.
Reports claim that the Premier League’s clubs were made aware of the ruling the day before the news was broken across the English media. An hour before the first report dropped, Maresca took to social media to offer an intriguing stance (quite literally).
“Time to breathe. Time to analyse. Time to learn,” was the message sent out by City’s manager beneath of picture of his bare feet.
The gallery of images also included a shot of a pool, a laptop on a chair, Maresca chatting around a glass table and a quote attributed to the Greek philosopher Socrates: “The only thing I know is that I know nothing.”
It felt like a pointed message at a time when the world appears to have abruptly turned on City.
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What Next for Maresca, Man City?
As this news has dropped during the first international break of the club season, City’s represenatives are under no obligation to face the media until the Premier League returns in the second weekend of October.
The club has already issued a swift rebuttal to the reports insisting that nothing has ostensibly changed while an official verdict is yet to be awarded.
“The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality,” a spokesperson insisted. “As such Manchester City FC’s position remains consistent with the club’s statement of February 2023.
“The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”
City’s players, however, are still at the mercy of the media. Maresca’s squad is scattered between all four corners of the globe during this international break, where each fixture will be prefaced and succeeded by interrogations from journalists. There will only be one topic in mind.
Man City’s Appeal Process
Should the official announcement arrive, then City would be expected to appeal the decision, thereby extending the time for Maresca’s period of reflection.
City have already sunk millions into defending themselves, with their counsel Lord Pannick KC reported to cost £5,000 ($6,600) per hour. At this point, there is no financial gain to be had from accepting defeat.
Given the wildly protracted-nature of the actual case, it’s impossible to predict how long an appeals process would take, or what the outcome may be. City were previously banned for UEFA competitions for similar grievances in 2020 but won their appeal to the court of arbitration for sport (CAS) thanks largely to the argument that many of the allegations fell outside the statute of limitations.
There is no such time-related clause in the Premier League’s regulations, and City cannot take this particular case to CAS should their appeal to the independent commission also fail.
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