Soccer
Enzo Maresca believes Manchester City’s work on the training ground is already translating to their pre-season performances, and he expects them to go through the gears when their World Cup stars return.
Having lost on penalties to Inter following a 1-1 draw last Saturday, City claimed their first victory of pre-season against a K-League All-Stars team on Wednesday.
Rayan Ait-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders and Divin Mubama struck for City in the first half, though the K-League XI did briefly draw level at 1-1 following Kim Dae-won’s near-post finish.
Reijnders’ goal was the pick of the bunch as, amid reports he could leave for Nottingham Forest, he finished first time after being picked out by a wonderful back-heel from Antoine Semenyo.
Despite those members of City’s squad that went deep at the World Cup still being absent, Maresca named a strong line-up, with Phil Foden, Ait-Nouri and Semenyo playing behind young striker Mubama.
Rico Lewis, Ruben Dias, Abdukodir Khusanov and Josko Gvardiol formed the back four in front of Gianluigi Donnarumma, while Mateo Kovacic partnered Reijnders in midfield.
City fired off 22 shots in total, hitting the target on 13 occasions while racking up 2.7 expected goals (xG), compared to the K-League XI’s six shots (one on target) and 0.4 xG.
The match was played in stifling heat in Seoul, where temperatures reached around 36 degrees Celsius, leaving Maresca impressed by his team’s work rate.
“For us, the result is always important, even if it is a friendly game. But the most important thing is to see the effort of the players, especially in this weather,” Maresca told City’s website, having earned his first win since succeeding Pep Guardiola.
“Also, compared to the last game, in some respects, we did things better. The good thing is the players tried to adapt. They made an effort for 95 minutes.
“Since day one, the players are putting in the effort, and I can see that they trust the job we are doing and, for me, this is the main thing.”
That link-up pic.twitter.com/VxnSbibuWu
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 5, 2026
But, with Erling Haaland, Rodri, Rayan Cherki, Jeremy Doku, Nico O’Reilly and Elliot Anderson among the City players still to return, Maresca knows there is more to come.
“Eight or nine players are still not here with us,” Maresca added.
“But the important thing is when they are here, they make the effort to do the things we have been trying to do since day one.
“Also, we need them to trust in what we want. That is important, and then when the rest of the players arrive, there is no doubt we will be even better.”
City will face Atletico Madrid in their final pre-season friendly on Sunday, again at the Seoul World Cup stadium, before taking on Arsenal in the Community Shield on August 16.
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