Enzo Maresca has barely settled into the Manchester City hot seat, but one unusual problem is already clear. The new boss may have to look beyond Erling Haaland for his next captain, simply because his striker scores too many goals.
Maresca has a simple rule when his team scores. The captain must come to the touchline for quick tactical instructions instead of joining the celebrations.
That could be awkward with Haaland. “But if he scores, then he can celebrate,” Maresca said, before adding with a laugh: “If Erling is the captain, we have a problem, can you imagine?”
The joke points to a real decision facing Maresca. Bernardo Silva has left the club, while Rodri is recovering from back surgery and remains uncertain amid reported interest from Barcelona.
Ruben Dias, Haaland and Rodri currently form part of the leadership group. Maresca also wants an English player involved, making the captaincy race one of several big calls before the season begins.
Haaland remains a strong personality inside the squad. Maresca revealed the Norway striker was among the first players to contact him after his appointment, a sign of the respect already developing between them.
Yet the manager may prefer a captain who can regularly step away from the action. During City’s game against the K-League XI, Dias followed Maresca’s instructions and came to the bench after a goal.
The captaincy issue is just one part of a much bigger challenge. Maresca has returned to City after working under Pep Guardiola during the club’s historic Treble-winning campaign in 2022-23.
Guardiola left after winning 17 major trophies, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League. Maresca knows the comparisons will come, but he insists they will not define him.
“After 10 games, if we have got 10 points, 20 points, 30 points, people will be comparing it to Pep after 10 games,” he said. “It doesn’t put pressure on me.”
Maresca also accepts that the Premier League has changed. He sees stronger set-piece teams and more man-to-man defending, with Arsenal’s success from corners last season showing where City can improve.
Now the countdown begins. The captain must be chosen, Rodri’s future must be settled, and Maresca must build his own City identity.
For a manager following Guardiola, even the smallest decision carries weight. At City, the first test may be deciding who gets the armband while Haaland keeps putting the ball in the net.
