Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca directed an intensive tactical training session in South Korea on Saturday ahead of their pre-season friendly against Atletico Madrid.
Nobody covered more ground during the hour-long session than Maresca, who displayed similar mannerisms and tactical concepts to Pep Guardiola, the manager he replaced earlier this summer. Staff could have placed a GPS vest on the Italian head coach as he moved continuously just south of the river in South Korea's capital.
Maresca remained in the center of the action almost continuously while acting as an energetic opposing defender. A four-song playlist featuring Wonderwall, Hey Jude, Don't Look Back in Anger, and Blue Moon looped repeatedly for several thousand local fans watching from the stands.
"The willingness of the players has been very good," Maresca said. "They have been very open-minded with a new manager arriving, changing some structures and patterns."
City players are acclimatising to life under Maresca, who succeeded Guardiola ahead of the upcoming campaign. The new head coach maintained a hands-on approach throughout the workout.
Building play from the back
Maresca stood directly alongside Phil Foden, directing ball movement from central areas to 11 players who appear lined up to start City's third and final friendly of their pre-season tour against Atletico Madrid on Sunday. Before starting the first tactical drill, Maresca gathered the squad for a brief huddle to outline his principles.
The opening tactical exercise lasted 15 minutes, a duration long enough to establish key principles without losing player focus. Guardiola routinely ran tactical drills of the same length. Maresca guided the team through 16 attempts at building play from the back, an area he insists on perfecting prior to the Premier League season opening in two weeks.
Goalkeeping coach Michele De Bernardin fizzed crosses to goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who then initiated play for the team. City built up play slowly through central defenders Ruben Dias and Vitor Reis. The squad maintained concentration while walking through phase patterns without opponent pressure, except when Maresca stepped in to press the ball himself.
Four City players converged inside the penalty box on a cross from Antoine Semenyo, reflecting Maresca's commitment to flooding the penalty area. Left-sided defender Josko Gvardiol pushed forward through the inside channel, identified as a primary target area for City's attack. Maresca pulled Gvardiol aside to review the movement individually before moving to the next exercise.
Overcoming mid blocks with mannequins
The head coach installed two rows of mannequins into the pitch to simulate a 5-4-1 mid-block defense, a formation City anticipate encountering regularly this season. Ten players wearing fluorescent orange bibs, who are expected to begin on the substitute bench against Atletico Madrid, formed the opposing defensive structure.
Maresca reiterated tactical responsibilities with Foden before the starting eleven executed the pattern at increased speed. White cones were lined across the width of the field just beyond the halfway line, indicating the high defensive line Maresca expects his back four to maintain when City control possession.
First-team coach Danny Walker, who previously worked in City's academy, provided active encouragement to the bibbed group. The orange-bibbed squad members were also given turns to build attacks against a defensive lineup, ensuring all players received practical experience of the tactical concepts.
The drill prioritized pattern repetition over competitive tackling, with the defensive ten offering minimal pressure across the short session. Maresca praised revived movements rather than clean finishes, clapping when Gvardiol seized control of a bobbling ball inside the penalty area.
Maresca spoke privately with the Croatian defender again prior to the third drill, signaling Gvardiol's central role in the team system.
High tempo drills and pressing scenarios
The longest portion of training lasted 16 minutes and used eight defensive players in bibs to simulate breaking an opponent press and bypassing two defensive lines. City worked with a numerical overload to transfer possession with rapid precision.
Maresca personally volleyed a pass to winger Savinho to restart play instantly before the defense could adjust. When Foden struck a shot past reserve goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli, Maresca immediately turned to demand another ball from coaching staff to maintain continuous repetition.
The defensive responses during this drill represented the only defensive work performed by Sunday's prospective starting eleven throughout the entire training session. In the concluding tactical phase, Maresca emphasized wide attacks and wing utilization.
Donnarumma trained separately with goalkeeping coaches on 40-yard distribution passes, while several players took part in an optional shooting contest at the end of the session. Maresca remained actively involved in the exercises until training concluded.
Warm up routines and tactical changes
Maresca missed the start of training because of a late arrival from media commitments. Head of performance Chris Elderkin, one of the few staff members remaining from Guardiola's tenure, conducted the warm-up routines.
Elderkin organized competitive team games that led players, including Foden, to playfully debate rule decisions. Maresca has removed rondos from City's training schedule, eliminating an exercise that was a regular fixture under Guardiola, though every drill continued to feature a ball.
