Maresca's reset: everyone starts equal
Enzo Maresca laid it out plainly ahead of the Atletico Madrid friendly on Sunday. "The only thing I have said since I started to the players is that, for me, it's a new reset. All of them start at the same level," he said (1). No favourites. No legacy credits from the Guardiola era. Pre-season form will decide who stays and who goes.
Maresca added: "Pre-season will dictate a little bit the transfer window. This has been the same message for everyone" (1).
Final tune-up before the Community Shield
City face Atletico Madrid in Seoul on Sunday in the last pre-season friendly before the real stuff begins (1) (3). The Community Shield against Arsenal follows next Sunday (1).
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Your team beat the K-League All Stars 3–1 in the previous outing and drew their first pre-season match under Maresca against Inter, losing on penalties (1).
Simeone shuts down Alvarez talk
Diego Simeone was unequivocal when asked about Julian Alvarez ahead of the friendly: "Je pense que la situation est claire", the situation is clear (4). The Atletico striker is not for sale, despite any lingering interest from City or elsewhere.
Maresca picks the next captain himself
Bernardo Silva is gone and the Guardiola-era rule that let players vote for the captain is gone with him. Maresca will handpick the new skipper (2). Phil Foden is pushing hard for the role (2).
Fan-reaktioner
A nostalgic thread took over the subreddit on Saturday, with fans marking 122 years since Joe Mercer's birth. Mercer delivered a First Division title, FA Cup, League Cup, European Cup Winners' Cup, and Community Shield across three seasons. Join the tribute thread here.
