Ghana international Antoine Semenyo has spoken glowingly about the early influence of new Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca, insisting the Italian has quickly earned the confidence of the squad during the opening stages of pre-season.
Maresca, who took over from Pep Guardiola ahead of the 2026/27 campaign, has wasted little time stamping his authority on the reigning Premier League champions, with players already adjusting to his demanding methods.
Following City’s arrival in Hong Kong for the opening leg of their pre-season tour of Asia, Semenyo highlighted the coach’s meticulous approach, suggesting the transition has been seamless because of the similarities to Guardiola’s philosophy.
“Very good, very detailed,” Semenyo said to the media of Maresca’s training sessions.
“He’s got an eye for detail, and he wants everything to be right, which is quite similar to Pep. That’s good for us as players, so we’ve enjoyed it so far.”
Manchester City’s Asian tour begins with a clash against Inter in Hong Kong before the squad heads to South Korea, where they will take on a K League All Stars team and Atlético Madrid in a series of high-profile friendlies designed to fine-tune preparations for the new season.
Touchdown 🇭🇰 pic.twitter.com/EqwpI1kMSX
— Manchester City (@ManCity) July 30, 2026
The Black Stars forward also reflected on the enthusiastic reception the squad received from supporters upon touching down in Hong Kong, describing it as further evidence of City’s worldwide appeal.
“The club are global and have a lot of fans. Getting to the hotel from the airport and seeing so many people welcoming us shows the great support we have out here, and we look forward to playing in front of them.”
Semenyo believes facing elite European opposition before the competitive campaign begins will sharpen the team ahead of another demanding season in both domestic and continental competitions.
“It prepares the players here for the season ahead. There’s a lot of tough teams in the Premier League, and Champions League, and Inter and Atletico are two of those, so we know that playing those at this stage is a good test for us.”
Squad 🩵 pic.twitter.com/sX2M6zEhG0
— Manchester City (@ManCity) July 29, 2026
After enjoying an extended summer break, the 26-year-old says he has returned fully refreshed and ready to build on his impressive start at the Etihad Stadium, having featured 27 times since arriving in January.
“My body feels good. I like to think I’m well rested. The manager gave me a couple of weeks to relax and reset, so I’m happy to be back with the boys and looking forward to the new season.”
