Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has recognised the challenges his squad faces as they prepare for the upcoming season. The absence of several key players, who have been recovering after performing at the World Cup, means it will take some time to achieve optimal fitness.
Players whose national teams progressed to at least the quarter-finals will return to training at Manchester just days before the official season opener against Arsenal in the Community Shield.
The Italian coach acknowledged that preparations have been complicated but urged the returning players to integrate quickly into the squad:
The reason is that around eight or nine players are still unavailable to us.
However, what’s vital is that upon their return, they put in every effort to grasp the strategies we've been working on since day one.
They also need to fully trust our ideas. That’s crucial, and undoubtedly, when the rest of the players are back, we’ll be even better.
