Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca plans squad rotation as Champions League demands grow

Enzo Maresca says Manchester City will have to rotate their squad regularly as the demands of domestic, European and international football increase.

City begin their Champions League campaign away to Porto at Estadio do Dragao on Tuesday, and Maresca is already focused on managing the workload of his players.

A number of his squad have been involved in a demanding schedule for both club and country. The Manchester City manager believes giving players time to recover will be essential as the season develops.

“It’s not easy for Erling (Haaland) or for most of the players that continue to play for club and international team,” Maresca said.

“I think it is correct in the moment that you see these players start to give them some rest. It can be one game out or one week away. It depends on which moment we are in.”

The Italian manager is in his first season in charge after succeeding Pep Guardiola, and handling the demands placed on his squad will be a central part of his role.

Maresca has also begun putting his own stamp on Manchester City, including by introducing music during training sessions. The practice was previously used by him at Leicester and Chelsea.

“It’s something that I had in Leicester and in Chelsea and I introduced here,” he said.

“I think the players are more happy with the music and can work better. It’s just to create more environment for them.”

Maresca acknowledged that his own choice of music might have been different, but said the players had been given control over what is played during training.

The manager’s immediate priority is the Champions League opener against Porto, although Manchester City will be without Nico O’Reilly for the match. O’Reilly is absent because of a back problem but could be available for the weekend meeting with Manchester United.

Jeremy Doku will also miss the game as he continues to recover from a calf injury.

The absences underline the importance of Maresca’s plans to manage the squad across a season that includes club and international commitments. His comments indicate that rotation will not necessarily follow a fixed pattern, with players potentially being rested for a single match or given a full week away from action depending on the point reached in the campaign.

For Manchester City, Tuesday’s trip to Porto marks the start of their European challenge under Maresca. It also provides an early test of how the new manager balances his preferred approach with the physical demands placed on a squad competing on multiple fronts.

Related: Jose Mourinho targets Champions League glory as Real Madrid face Inter