The Maresca Era Begins at City: Husanov Joins First Training Sessions

A new era is dawning at Manchester City, the club that ended last season as FA Cup and League Cup winners. After a decade of leading the team to success, Pep Guardiola has been succeeded by his Italian protégé, Enzo Maresca.

Zamin.uz presents details on the 'Citizens'' first training sessions under the new manager, Abdukodir Khusanov's role in the team, and the upcoming summer tour of Asia.

A New Era at Manchester City: Enzo Maresca Takes Charge

Most of the Manchester City first-team squad have returned from their break and held their first training session under Enzo Maresca. The Italian coach faces several key tasks in the short term:

• Establishing the team's core;

• Instilling his own football philosophy and tactical requirements in the players;

• Selecting the starting lineup for the new season.

Currently, the players are undergoing physical conditioning and adapting to the requirements of the new coaching staff. Internal competition and an intense battle for a place in the starting XI have begun anew.

Abdukodir Khusanov joins training: His main task ahead

Abdukodir Khusanov, who participated in the World Cup with the Uzbekistan national team, has arrived in Manchester and took part in his first training session under Maresca.

A sharp change: Exactly one year ago, Khusanov entered the season as a reserve player. Throughout the last campaign, however, he became an indispensable and key figure in the 'Citizens'' defensive line.

Since our national team left the World Cup early, Abdukodir had the opportunity to participate fully in Manchester City's pre-season training from the very first days. Now, his task is to prove his skills to the new head coach, maintain his place in the starting lineup, and solidify it further.

Summer Asia Tour and friendly matches

According to the pre-season preparation plan, Manchester City will visit Hong Kong and Seoul.

Notably, players who reached the quarter-finals or later in the World Cup are unlikely to participate in this tour. This creates an additional opportunity for players like Khusanov to earn the manager's trust.

Pre-season friendly match schedule:

Official start of the season: Super Cup clash

For the 'Citizens', the new 2026/27 season officially begins in South Wales. Enzo Maresca's charges on August 16 will face reigning English champions Arsenal for the Community Shield title.