Does Husanov fit Maresca's system? 3 key tasks for the Uzbek star at City

16:16 / 20.07.2026·131·Sport

"Manchester City" is facing major changes after a current season that was not entirely successful. The departure of Pep Guardiola, who managed the club for a decade, will inevitably affect the team's system.

Currently, the "Citizens" are led by Enzo Maresca, one of Guardiola's protégés. Naturally, Uzbek football fans are very interested in the future of Abdukodir Husanov, who began to shine under Guardiola, under the new coach:

"Does Husanov fit Maresca's style of play?"
"Will the new coach trust him?"
"Will Abdukodir get regular playing time like last season?"

Zamin.uz presents expert analysis on this issue and conclusions on what Husanov must do to secure a solid place in City's starting lineup.

Enzo Maresca's style and Abdukodir Husanov's potential

Experts note that when talking about a coach from the positional football school, Enzo Maresca's system generally suits Abdukodir Husanov very well. The model Maresca uses relies on strong and precise aspects:

High defensive line: The team plays high up the pitch, leaving a lot of space behind.
Courage in duels: Defenders are required to have great speed and courage in one-on-one duels.
Fast center-back: In such a tactical model, a fast center-back becomes a primary necessity.

3 key aspects Husanov must perfect

To avoid being just a "firefighter" defender who only fixes others' mistakes, Abdukodir Husanov needs to develop 3 more important aspects of his game:

№	Component	What needs improvement?
1	Quick decision-making with the ball	He doesn't have to reach John Stones' level, but he must learn to understand faster when to play short, when to move forward, and when not to take risks.
2	Positional stability	Fast defenders can fall into the trap of overconfidence, thinking they can "reach everywhere." At the top level, it is important to assess the situation and take the right position in advance.
3	Communication	In England, language, voice, and directing teammates on the pitch are as important for a defender as speed. His debut at City showed that adapting to the language and team requirements was difficult.

Conclusion

If Abdukodir can implement these three elements into his game, he will become a very useful and necessary player for Italian specialist Enzo Maresca. He doesn't have to be a copy of Rúben Dias or John Stones — he can cement his name at Manchester City with his own unique profile: a fast, duel-strong, hybrid defender.