Manchester City coach Enzo Maresca warned ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League opener at Porto that early-season form is exceptionally difficult for World Cup players. Echoing striker Erling Haaland’s YouTube remarks about a lack of pre-season, Maresca noted that international duties leave mental and physical fatigue across the squad.
Erling Haaland Details the Mental Toll of a Packed Football Calendar
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland used his YouTube channel to speak candidly about the relentless demands of the modern football schedule. Haaland revealed that the transition from Norway’s run to the World Cup quarterfinals directly into club commitments left him without any restorative preparation time. The Norwegian has three goals in three league matches despite skipping warm-up games.
The new season started and I didn't even have a pre-season. I normally have a bit of pre-season but this time, just nothing,
While Haaland emphasized that he is grateful to live off playing football year-round, he underscored that continuous matches drain players mentally.
Enzo Maresca Backs Striker’s Concerns at the Dragao Stadium
Speaking at the Dragao Stadium ahead of the club’s Champions League opener against Porto, Enzo Maresca offered full sympathy to his star forward. The Manchester City coach agreed that supporters should expect fatigue from athletes returning from major international tournaments. Maresca noted on Monday that continuous international fixtures make a grueling year even heavier for top competitors.
It's it's not easy for them it's not easy for Erling, it's not easy for most of the players that they continue to play for their international team,
Maresca outlined that coaching staffs must actively manage player workloads to mitigate burnout ahead of Tuesday’s match. Offering strategic rest by sitting a player out for a game or granting a week away depends entirely on the moment in the season.
Long-Term Expectations Versus Day-to-Day Improvement
Managing a squad through a congested calendar requires avoiding distant forecasts. Maresca pointed out that focusing on day-to-day work makes speculating about club standing in February, March, or April overly complicated. The priority for Manchester City remains steady, incremental progress.
The most important thing is to see that we are improving game after game.
