Maresca’s Third City Spell Begins as Guardiola Successor After Chelsea Exit
Enzo Maresca signed a three-year contract to replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, returning to the club where he was an assistant, following a contentious mid-season departure from Chelsea.
Manchester City confirmed Enzo Maresca as their new head coach on Monday, handing the 46-year-old Italian a contract until the summer of 2029. The appointment ends a five-week wait since Guardiola’s emotional farewell in May, and marks Maresca’s third stint at the Etihad — he previously coached the Elite Development Squad to the Premier League 2 title in 2020/21 and served as Guardiola’s assistant during the 2022/23 treble campaign.
Maresca’s return was held up by negotiations with Chelsea, where he had been out of work since resigning on New Year’s Day 2026. Chelsea released a statement minutes after City’s announcement, explaining that Maresca had informed them in autumn 2025 of a possible opportunity to succeed Guardiola and that his “head and heart were focused on another club.” The London club said they felt let down by his abrupt resignation, which they blamed as a major factor in a “hugely disappointing” season that saw them finish 10th under caretaker Liam Rosenior. City paid Chelsea a compensation package reported at £17 million, and Maresca himself reached a confidential settlement with his former employer.
Guardiola departed after a decade in which he collected 17 major trophies, including six Premier League titles and the club’s first Champions League. His final two seasons, however, brought no league crown — Arsenal won the 2025/26 title by seven points, leaving City second for the second consecutive year. Maresca inherits a squad in transition, with veterans Bernardo Silva and John Stones set to leave, and a core built around Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, Rodri, Rúben Dias and Nathan Aké.
Maresca, who led Leicester to the Championship title in 2024 and won the Conference League and Club World Cup in his one full season at Chelsea, said he “cannot wait to start coaching the players” and wants his team to “win, play good football and enjoy the pressure of representing Manchester City.” He has already begun working with sporting director Hugo Viana on transfer plans, with Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson reportedly completing a medical ahead of a £116 million move. City’s players return for pre-season on 20 July, with friendlies in Hong Kong and Seoul before facing Arsenal in the Community Shield on 16 August.
| 阿拉伯黎凡特—马格里布媒体 | +1.00 | aligned |
|---|---|---|
| 俄罗斯及独联体媒体 | 0.00 | neutral |
| 欧洲大陆媒体 | −1.00 | critical |
| 东南亚媒体 | 0.00 | neutral |
The Paraguayan president and the people celebrate together: the victory is a symbol of national identity and resilience.
The narrative personifies the state through the president signing the decree while wearing the national team shirt, turning a sports event into a moment of national unity.
The controversy over the disallowed German goal is not mentioned, nor the fact that the match was decided on penalties after a draw.
The report merely describes the events without taking sides: the disallowed goal is explained by VAR, the victory is attributed to penalties.
The use of official sources and chronological structure creates an impression of objectivity and detachment.
No space is given to the emotional reaction of German or Paraguayan fans, nor to the context of the national holiday.
Germany is the victim of a refereeing injustice: the disallowed goal is presented as a decisive error that stole the victory.
The use of emotional and accusatory language ('stolen goal') and the repetition of drama create a sense of injustice and mobilize resentment.
It is not mentioned that the goal was disallowed after a video review, which suggests an arbitrary decision rather than a regular procedure.
The list speaks for itself: Paraguay is among the qualifiers, with no further details.
The list format and absence of evaluation make the news neutral and decontextualized.
No details about the match are provided, nor about the reactions of the countries involved.