Maresca defends Manchester City celebrations after Anfield win

Enzo Maresca has defended Manchester City’s celebrations following their 3-0 victory at Liverpool, saying his players and staff were focused on winning matches amid the fallout from the club’s financial-rule case. According to BBC Sport, the City head coach challenged criticism of the scenes at Anfield when he spoke at a news conference on Tuesday.

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Sunday’s victory was City’s first match after an independent commission found the club guilty of charges concerning Premier League financial rules. City have appealed against that verdict. The result was followed by an emotional response from the visitors: Erling Haaland appeared close to tears in front of the travelling supporters, among them his father Alf-Inge, while Maresca celebrated by pumping his fists.

Asked about the reaction from pundits and the media, Maresca said the team’s daily work was directed towards winning games and that this remained their focus. He described the wider issues as matters the squad had to deal with from outside the pitch. He also said the happiness visible during the celebrations was matched by the mood inside the dressing room.

City captain Ruben Dias supported his manager’s response. The defender said the celebrations reflected the significance of winning at Anfield and how much the result meant to the players. Both men addressed the reaction to the Liverpool match before Wednesday’s Champions League meeting with Paris St-Germain, the European champions. That fixture will be City’s first home game since the commission’s verdict.

BBC Sport also reported that former manager Pep Guardiola is expected to attend the match at Etihad Stadium. Guardiola stepped aside at the end of last season after a decade in charge that brought 20 trophies. Maresca welcomed the prospect of his predecessor returning, pointing to Guardiola’s long association with the club and saying the occasion would be exciting for supporters.

Whether Guardiola will speak to fans or his former players before the game remains unknown. He has already offered public support following the financial-breaches verdict, posting a social-media message expressing solidarity with City supporters. His expected attendance comes as Maresca and Dias publicly defend the squad’s response on the pitch while the club challenges the commission’s decision.