Coach Maresca admits: Man City's World Cup stars are exhausted

In a press conference ahead of the Champions League opener against Porto, Manchester City coach Enzo Maresca openly admitted that players who participated in the 2026 World Cup are struggling to regain peak fitness and form. His comments came amid a congested fixture schedule, making squad rotation more urgent than ever. After a long international break, many top European clubs face the issue of key players returning less than fully fit. Manchester City is no exception, as they carefully plan efforts ahead of the trip to Portugal. Maresca acknowledged this and did not hesitate to share his thoughts with the media. "It is correct that you see these kind of players that they start to be tired," Maresca said during the press conference, as noted by reporters. This was one of the rare occasions a top-level coach publicly admitted the fitness issues of his players early in the season. Usually, coaches disguise or downplay such situations to avoid psychological pressure, but Maresca chose transparency. Erling Haaland, the team's main striker, also voiced his concern. After Norway's historic World Cup campaign, which saw them reach the quarter-finals, the 24-year-old returned to the Etihad with not ideal physical condition. Haaland emphasized that maintaining injury-free fitness and mental sharpness are key to returning to club football. He said: "Both physical and mental recovery is equally important. I need to keep my mind sharp and my legs fresh to give my best for the team." This context presents a difficult puzzle for Maresca. Over the weekend, Manchester City played some warm-up matches and Haaland missed appearances, indicating the level of fatigue among World Cup winners. The Italian coach must carefully manage resources before the long campaigns in the Premier League and Champions League. According to tactical analysts, one of the clearest consequences of fatigue is a noticeable drop in pressing intensity and slower transitions. This inadvertently affects the possession-based style of play at the Etihad. Maresca also showed understanding for players who continue to represent their national teams. In the context of football associations pushing for more matches for commercial purposes, the players have less and less time to rest. The coach seems to want to build an open relationship with his players rather than impose strict rules. However, observers suggest that going public about fitness issues could be a double-edged sword. Positively, it shows Maresca is managing fitness based on data, not arrogance. But conversely, opponents like Porto could exploit this, knowing Manchester City will lack the sharpness needed in the early stages of matches. Looking further, if fatigue persists, Manchester City will likely need to rotate the squad more often. Maresca has previously been criticized for rarely using young players, but now he may be forced to give chances to some new faces to ensure endurance in the full race. Additionally, experts point out that the FA and the Premier League have adjusted the schedule after the World Cup, but the crux remains the tight density of matches in a short period, requiring players to maintain consistent fitness. Those who participated in the World Cup and went deep, like Haaland, are even more disadvantaged, having only a few weeks to recover before the new season starts. In fact, Manchester City is not the only club struggling with this problem. Most European giants have at least one player sidelined through injury or showing signs of overload after returning from the World Cup. However, considering squad depth and financial power, Man City are still assessed better to overcome this difficult period than their direct rivals. Interestingly, Maresca's admission inadvertently creates an opposite perspective: Could this be an excuse for a slow start if results are poor? In modern football, coaches often use fixture congestion as a reason to reduce pressure when teams underperform. But Maresca seems not to follow that line, as he made his statement before kick-off. The team's recovery capacity will be a key measure in the match against Porto. This is a team with a physical and fast style of play, often causing problems for possession-based sides. If Haaland and his teammates are not at their best physical level, City may have to play more defensively and accept an unfavorable result. Maresca might adopt a counter-attacking approach at certain moments, allowing Porto to have more ball possession but maintaining a compact shape. This approach requires high tactical discipline, especially from players lacking match sharpness. Looking at data and predictive models, experts at VangBong note that Manchester City are likely to rest key players in the next Premier League round to ensure fitness for crucial Champions League fixtures. This highlights the importance of load management. In the dressing room, Maresca's understanding of Haaland is seen as a positive signal. Instead of criticizing his student for poor form, he shows empathy and creates conditions for the striker to regain confidence. The season is long, and Manchester City does not need to rush. The question is whether Maresca dares to sacrifice the result of one or two matches to aim for more important goals later in the season. Usually, top coaches prioritize building solid foundations for knockout stages. It can be said that Maresca's admission is the first step in managing the team scientifically. Man City fans have the right to hope that with skilful management, the team will soon return to its best face. As for Porto, they can exploit their opponent's weaknesses by maximizing set-pieces and long balls. The Portuguese side has a tradition of doing well against Premier League representatives, especially in knockout ties. The match at Dragao will be a great test of Manchester City's recovery ability. Whether Maresca dares to use young players like Cole Palmer to replace the fatigued Haaland will be a notable decision. In general, all arguments point to the fact that the early season is the most difficult period for World Cup players. This raises the question: Should FIFA and UEFA reconsider the fixture schedule to reduce the burden on players? Perhaps this will be a hot topic in upcoming meetings of football authorities. For now, Manchester City still need to focus on the immediate match. Maresca will need to make smart personnel choices, balancing the ambition to win with preserving strength for later games. After all, with their class and squad depth, the Sky Blues always have more than one way to solve this difficult problem. From another perspective, the timely return of some key players like Kevin De Bruyne (if any) would be a great advantage. But if not, the coach can rely on the explosive ability of new signings. Ultimately, the most important thing is to accept that the human body has limitations. No tactical philosophy can replace physical well-being. When the stadium is silent, we hear the voice of probability more clearly. And the shock of the World Cup season will still leave its mark for a long time.