Sports

Maresca Confident City Will Win Appeal, Says Owners Convince

By Today News Hours Editorial Desk

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca said the club’s owners are "convinced" that they will win an appeal against an independent commission that found the club guilty of all charges relating to serious breaches of Premier League financial rules. Speaking at his first press conference since the verdict, Maresca insisted he "100 per cent completely trusts" the club’s hierarchy and believes the appeal will be successful.

The 15‑minute briefing took place ahead of City’s match against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, which will be shown live on Sky Sports with a 4.30 pm kick‑off on Friday 9 October 2026. Maresca noted that City’s achievements are "absolutely not" tainted, that the right time to speak is when the appeal is won, and that he has not read the commission’s findings. He also said everyone at the club is "on the same page" and urged his players to "stick together" as they prepare for the "even worse" Anfield environment.

The independent commission concluded that between 2009/10 and 2017/18, City arranged "sham" contracts with several commercial partners as part of a "disguised funding scheme" that inflated the club’s revenues by £830 million. City confirmed it is appealing, describing the judgement as "opinion" and claiming it contains "clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe".

Maresca, who was Pep Guardiola’s assistant during the 2022/23 treble‑winning season and took over as head coach this summer, said he would have joined the club regardless of the verdict, citing his trust in the organisation. He added that the trophies won during the period in question are not tainted and that he has no doubt about the effort of the players, the club and Guardiola.

Sky Sports reporters described Maresca’s press conference as a "media masterclass" for handling tough questions, noting his calm demeanor, focus on football and refusal to discuss the commission’s findings. The club remains top of the Premier League with a perfect record of five wins from five, and the upcoming Anfield match will be a key test amid the ongoing appeal.