Enzo Maresca has returned to Manchester City as head coach on a three-year deal, tasked with succeeding Pep Guardiola — one of the most successful managers in football history. The Italian, 46, previously served as Guardiola's assistant during City's historic Treble-winning 2022-23 season before taking charge at Leicester City and then Chelsea.

Maresca has described the appointment as a "huge challenge," but has made clear he welcomes it. "Probably the reason why I am here is also because the idea from the club is to maintain the same style of football, the same idea," he said. "We are going to try to do the most important thing in football, which is try to win, to achieve important things."

Why the club chose Maresca

Maresca's coaching identity is shaped by two cultures. His Spanish roots — his family connections, his time at Sevilla and Malaga during the peak years of Barcelona's dominance, and his home life, where Spanish is the primary language — exposed him early to the possession-based philosophy that Guardiola would later bring to Manchester City.

It was former Manchester City and West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini who first identified Maresca's potential as a coach during his playing days, giving him the grounding that would fuel his rapid rise. Guardiola has since described Maresca as "one of the best managers in the world."

City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has spoken openly about the appointment, noting that Maresca's two previous stints at the club — first with the academy and then as Guardiola's assistant — made him the natural choice. "He has also evolved his own philosophy," Khaldoon said. "I think Enzo brings a lot to this club."

Outgoing sporting director Txiki Begiristain is understood to have recommended Maresca as Guardiola's successor before handing his responsibilities to Hugo Viana. The pair are also said to remain in regular contact, and Maresca's appointment is believed to have had Guardiola's backing.

During his one season alongside Guardiola, Maresca contributed to several tactical innovations — including the repositioning of John Stones as a central midfielder, a move that played a key role in City's UEFA Champions League final victory over Inter Milan.

His philosophy on the pitch

Maresca typically sets his teams up in a 4-2-3-1 shape, emphasising possession, high pressing, and structured positional rotations designed to prevent counter-attacks. The approach draws clear parallels with Guardiola's methods, requiring physicality and intelligence from every player on the pitch.

He has faced criticism at both Chelsea and Leicester City for periods of overly patient build-up play, but his fluid positional system has also produced moments of genuine tactical brilliance. In the Club World Cup final, an asymmetric overlapping role for Malo Gusto on the right pinned back Paris Saint-Germain's Nuno Mendes and opened space for Cole Palmer in a commanding 3-0 victory.

Maresca's intellectual approach to the game is well documented. He wrote a 7,000-word thesis at Italy's Coverciano institute comparing football tactics to chess strategy, referencing a 1991 World Championship match between Anatoly Karpov and Viktor Korchnoi. Like Guardiola, he draws inspiration from outside football — including conversations with Argentine-Italian volleyball coach Julio Velasco and basketball coach Ettore Messina.

What's next for City

Players are due to report for pre-season on 20 July, with those involved in the World Cup given additional rest time. The club-record £116 million signing of England midfielder Elliot Anderson is expected to be confirmed imminently, and City are also pursuing a new right-back — with Chelsea's Malo Gusto among those linked.

City have also been connected with a move for Lille's 18-year-old Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi. Meanwhile, Rodri — a key figure in the squad — enters the final 12 months of his contract, making his renewal one of Maresca's most pressing priorities. The new head coach also faces a decision in goal: will Gianluigi Donnarumma hold on to the shirt, or will James Trafford be given the opportunity to establish himself?

Guardiola won 20 trophies across his decade at the Etihad Stadium. The task of continuing that culture falls to Maresca — and, by all accounts, he is ready for it.