The Enzo Maresca era begins on Saturday! Sort of. Kind of. Maresca will manage the Manchester City side for the first time ever this weekend against Inter Milan, in a preseason friendly. The first competitive match, of the Maresca era, will come on August 16 against Arsenal in the FA Community Shield.
However, this will be Maresca’s first match in charge that comes in view of spectators.
Manchester City Asia Tour
Inter Milan, August 1, Kai Tak Stadium, Hong Kong
K League All Stars, August 5, Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea
Atletico Madrid Seoul, August 9, Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea
Preseason Opener
Manchester City vs Inter Milan
Saturday, August 1, 2026, Kai Tak Stadium (Kai Tak Sports Park), Hong Kong
Kickoff Time: 7:30 p.m. local time (12:30 p.m. UK BST / 7:30 a.m. U.S. ET)
Manchester City Post 2026 World Cup Absentees
The club has confirmed that anybody who participated in the quarterfinal stage, and beyond, will not be a part of the preseason Asia tour. This includes the likes of Erling Haaland, Rodri, Rayan Cherki, Jeremy Doku, Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly, James Trafford and new signing Elliot Anderson.
Players who were done competing at the tournament’s round of 16 stage will join up with the rest of the squad in Asia but they weren’t a part of the travel party on today.
This group includes Omar Marmoush, Ruben Dias and Matheus Nunes.
Other Man City Team News
While we won’t see Anderson on tour, this match could mark the debut of a different City summer addition, Jeremy Monga. It is likely he could get selected here.
Also, Kalvin Phillips was not in the travel party, as he finalizes a loan move to Sheffield United.
Man City Injuries
Rodri, who just underwent back surgery, and Jack Grealish, who is working towards building up match fitness, are the only two concerns.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.