Josko Gvardiol believes that the new Manchester City manager, Enzo Maresca, is “perfect” for the club. Maresca's appointment, the former Chelsea coach, comes in the wake of Pep Guardiola's departure, who led the team for a decade of success. The Italian coach, who was Guardiola's assistant at City, has signed a three-year contract and has already won a championship with Leicester, as well as titles in the World League and the Conference League with Chelsea.
After the first game under Maresca's leadership, which ended in a penalty shootout defeat against Inter Milan in Hong Kong, Gvardiol expressed optimism about the start of the new era. “The level is very high, and he was chosen for a reason as a coach,” said the defender. Gvardiol noted that Maresca brings “new ideas” and emphasized the need for the team to adapt to the new style of play and tactics that the coach intends to implement. “It is our job to help as much as possible and also to listen to try to adapt quickly,” he added.
With Guardiola's departure confirmed at the end of the 2025-26 season, following months of speculation, Gvardiol revealed that the players already sensed that the coach's exit was imminent. “Some will say he could have told us earlier, others will say he shouldn't have,” Gvardiol commented. “I think it was perfect timing because it can affect you mentally if he had said it earlier. We knew that at some point he had to tell us. He has been here for 10 years, and it was time to rest a bit and retire. We felt that.”
The team has yet to confirm who will be the captain under Maresca's leadership next season, following Bernardo Silva's departure to Real Madrid. Ruben Dias and Rodri, the captain of the Spanish national team, are the main candidates to take on the captain's armband. Gvardiol praised Dias's leadership credentials, stating that he is “one of the leaders of our team” and that “he will probably be the most important.” The defender also expressed his willingness to take on responsibilities if needed.
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