Maresca on Manchester City's Situation, the Trip to Anfield, and Haaland's Fitness

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca held his first press conference since the club was found guilty of multiple financial breaches. The Italian tactician affirmed his full faith in the club and its leadership, insisting there is nowhere else he would rather be, while assuring that his squad remains fully focused on Sunday's crucial trip to face Liverpool.

"I understand why most of you are here, but the only thing I can say is what I’ve already shared. There is an ongoing process. I trust the club completely. I have full faith in the club and the people here. That is precisely why I joined. There is no other club I’d rather be at. I am very happy and proud to be here, and I've said that from day one."

"I know the hard work the players and the club have put in. They were here during the Treble-winning season. I know what it took to achieve that. Those achievements are by no means tarnished. The players and I can only control what happens on the pitch and focus on that. We cannot influence anything else."

"The reason I joined this club is because I have 100 percent trust in the owner, the sporting director, the CEO—the entire organization. I have no doubts whatsoever. I have certainly spoken with club officials, and the trust is mutual. The right time to talk about all of this is when we win the appeal."

"I know Anfield is a fantastic stadium, and the atmosphere will be fiery. It’s for games like this that I became manager of this team. It will be a tough match, a real test, and we have to be ready. The focus has to remain on the squad. The situation might make things even more intense, but they are fully capable of handling the pressure—we have players who have experienced these environments before. We have Enzo Fernandez—in Argentina, every single game is like that."

When asked what would happen if the club's appeal is unsuccessful, Maresca responded: "And what happens if the appeal is upheld? We are trying to look into the future when we don't know what will happen. The only thing I can say is that the process must be respected. There is an ongoing appeal process, and we’ll see what happens. What if we get relegated? I already won the Championship with Leicester. If we end up in League One, we’ll see. Again, we are worrying about things that are completely uncertain."

"Right now, it is vital that we stay united. Erling said it yesterday, and he’s right. That is the situation, that is the noise surrounding the team. The most important thing is to keep doing the right things. We are completely united—the players, the owner, the CEO, the sporting director, and the fans. We need our supporters' passion and their voices. Hopefully, we will be celebrating a great victory in the end."

Asked whether the charges were discussed prior to his appointment, the Italian replied: "No, we didn't talk about that. At the time, I didn't see it as an issue for the club. They’ve always been very honest, and I believe they are confident we will ultimately win the appeal."

Maresca also confirmed that Erling Haaland is available for Sunday's blockbuster clash, despite fitness concerns after he signaled to be substituted during Norway's recent international fixture.

"He's fine! He went to Marbella, took two or three days off, played some golf, and recovered. He is ready for Anfield."