Man City aware of possibility of Enzo Maresca leaving after social media post

Enzo Maresca has been tipped to leave Manchester City in light of the guilty verdict over 114 Premier League charges.

The verdict was reported this week and has seen a huge reaction, over what could well be a defining decision for the wider footballing world.

The Citizens were accused of 115 breaches of the Premier League's rules over 14 seasons, including the failure to provide accurate financial information and a failure to co-operate with the investigation.

But Man City have maintained their innocence since the initial announcement was made all the way back in February 2023.

Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak reiterated that stance on Saturday, and confirmed that decision-makers at the Etihad Stadium remain confident of a positive outcome.

Maresca was appointed this summer to replace Pep Guardiola after a decade in charge, with the Italian overseeing five consecutive Premier League wins to start the season.

Enzo Maresca could spark stunning turn of events

Guardiola's decision to leave came at the end of the Premier League season and was quite sudden.

There had, of course, been talk for years that the Spaniard could leave and Man City were prepared for the eventuality.

Yet this week's news has raised the question over whether Guardiola was made aware that such a storm was on its way to Manchester, and to get out while he could.

That would make Maresca the sacrificial lamb, forced to publicly represent Man City over issues that happened, for the most part, while he was not even at the club.

Will the Italian be willing to do so? One major bookmaker has slashed his odds of being the next Premier League manager to leave down from 50/1 to 20/1 following the news.

And Man City must be aware of the possibility, too. Maresca is a relatively young manager, and may not want to be associated with such a stain on the game.

Maresca posts cryptic message

On Friday, in the hours before news emerged of a verdict, Maresca took to Instagram.

He posted several pictures, including one of him and his coaches in discussions, and another of a Socrates quote: "The only thing I know is that I know nothing."

Maresca's caption included just nine words, and said: "Time to breathe. Time to analyse. Time to learn."

The Italian will have nearly two weeks yet before he is questioned on the verdict, but his actions until then will be watched closely.