Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has issued a staunch defence of his Chelsea counterpart, Enzo Maresca, insisting the Italian is not receiving the credit he deserves for his work at Stamford Bridge.
Fixture Chaos and Fan Frustration
The public backing comes after a difficult week for Maresca and Chelsea. The Blues suffered a damaging 3-1 defeat away to relegation-threatened Leeds United in midweek, a result that left them nine points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal.
This setback was a stark contrast to their recent form, which included a commanding Champions League victory over Barcelona and a resilient draw with Arsenal in a London derby, despite playing with ten men for an hour.
The relentless schedule forced Maresca into making five changes for the trip to Elland Road, a rotation that ultimately proved costly. The loss has seen a section of the Chelsea support turn on the manager, who guided a young squad to Champions League qualification last season and followed it with Club World Cup glory.
Guardiola's Passionate Plea for Perspective
Guardiola, who worked with Maresca at Manchester City, believes his former assistant is performing exceptionally under intense pressure and expressed sympathy for all managers navigating the current fixture pile-up.
"Look what happened after Leeds," Guardiola stated. "One of the best managers in the world, Enzo Maresca, I know him quite well but, the job he has done at Chelsea does not get enough credit."
He elaborated on Maresca's achievements, saying, "Winning the Club World Cup, Conference League, qualification for the Champions League in a league that is so tough with a young team. It is exceptional. And he rotated and look what happened?"
Guardiola pointed to the unique demands of English football, adding, "You are able to win games, games, games and after you lose, lose, lose. It only happens in this league, in this country. It can happen."
Rodri's Cautious Road to Recovery
Meanwhile, Guardiola provided an update on his own key midfielder, Rodri, admitting the Spaniard could still be "a few weeks" away from a first-team return.
The 2024 Ballon d'Or winner has been plagued by injury, missing most of last season with a serious knee problem. His attempts to comeback this term have been frustratingly halted, and he has managed just one minute of action in City's last 11 games since injuring his hamstring against Brentford on October 5.
Rodri will miss Saturday's clash with Sunderland and is likely to be absent for the Champions League trip to Real Madrid, with the club taking an ultra-cautious approach.
"He's a bit more careful after what happened with the previous ones," Guardiola explained. "We have to be more cautious to make sure it is safe... I want desperately for him to come back but then not six more weeks out. It makes no sense."
The City boss emphasised the long-term view, concluding, "As much we recover him, it will not be for now, it will be for the end of the season and next season. That is the main thing."
