Guardiola tells Chelsea ‘accept my advice’ on Maresca, with ‘time’ warning sent to former assistant
Pep Guardiola has told Chelsea that they need to given Enzo Maresca “time” and it “will work” but he does not know if Stamford Bridge “is the place to do this”.
The Blues have been handed a difficult task in facing defending Premier League champions Manchester City on the first game of the season. In terms of points in the league last season, City outscored the Blues by almost 30.
The Stamford Bridge outfit finished sixth in the table, following on from a 12th-placed finish the season prior, but manager Mauricio Pochettino was replaced by Maresca, who brought Leicester City up as Championship champions.
Maresca is the sixth manager to take charge in the Todd Boehly era, which started two years ago, following Pochettino, whose tenure came after interim spells for Frank Lampard and Bruno Saltor, following the dismissal of Graham Potter, who followed Thomas Tuchel in 2022/23.
Guardiola, who is the first manager Maresca will take on as Chelsea boss, and knows him from being together at City, feels the boss needs more time than some others have been given, but is wary of Stamford Bridge being the place for that.
“My advice, give him time. If they, the owners of Chelsea, accept my advice, give Enzo time and it will work,” he said in a press conference.
“All the managers need time. I don’t know if Chelsea is the place to do this, but give him time and he will work.”
With Boehly’s track record for getting rid of managers, Maresca being any different to those who have come before him seems unlikely.
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Meanwhile, Guardiola has his own agenda to take care of. He has twice loaned out Joao Cancelo after a small disagreement on playing time a year and a half ago, but suggests the full-back could have a place back at City for the coming season.
“He’s training with us. We will see, maybe stay, maybe go on loan. I don’t know yet,” Guardiola said.
“He’s behaving really well in the training sessions. He loves to play football. We will see. It can happen [playing for City again].
“In training we say hi and talk. About what’s going to happen, it depends on his agents and the club. In the end, if he has to stay we will treat him like all the other players like we have done since I have been here.
“With respect, and try to take the best for his huge qualities that he has. I never doubt about his qualities one second. But I don’t know what is going to happen.”
