At 3 a.m. Thursday (Beijing time/CET), Man City will host PSG in the second matchday of the Champions League group stage. Ahead of the match, Maresca attended his pre-match press conference. At the start of the press conference, he spoke about Guardiola returning to the Etihad to watch the match and his expectations for the game. Related link: [Maresca: Won't worry about things I can't control; dissatisfied with first half against Liverpool]

On Sunday at Anfield, we all saw him and the players go into the stands after the match to interact with the fans. Tomorrow, he'll be back at the Etihad to watch in front of the home crowd. How much is he looking forward to this match?

Very excited. As you said, the feeling after beating Liverpool was wonderful, but that match is done now. We're focused on tomorrow's match and hope that afterwards we can share another wonderful moment with the fans.

We hear Guardiola will attend tomorrow's match. Have you spoken with him? What does his presence mean to you and the players?

I spoke with him a few days ago after the Manchester United match, and we haven't been in contact since then. If he comes, it will be a good feeling, especially for him. This is where he fought for ten years, and with the achievements he's won here, this will always be his home. I think everyone will be very excited about that.

Did you put much thought into your pre-match talk with the players? Do you have a specific message to convey to the team? Last weekend's match at Anfield was a difficult, highly competitive encounter, while tomorrow's match is in front of the home crowd – two completely different situations.

The message for tomorrow is actually quite simple: we need to play a nearly perfect match, because the opponent is currently the strongest team in Europe. They've won the two most recent Champions League titles, which shows how strong they are. We need a perfect performance, but at the same time, as long as we give everything, we have a chance to beat them and celebrate when the final whistle blows.

I imagine that in the coming weeks, the connection between Man City's players and fans will be a strength you can really rely on. What would you like to say to the Man City fans who will be at the Etihad cheering the team on?

As I said before, the experience of playing away at Anfield was amazing. We all know the atmosphere there, but from the very start of the match, our fans were there, showing their passion and cheering enthusiastically. I hope they will do the same tomorrow; we need that support.

Not just tomorrow, but also for the upcoming home Premier League match against Ipswich. We need the fans to keep cheering. I really look forward to tomorrow. I was here during the treble-winning season, and I know how special the atmosphere is on a Champions League night. I hope tomorrow will be the same.

In your view, what are Man City's chances of winning the Champions League this season? Do you think PSG is at a higher level, or do you feel Man City is at the same level as them?

No, I think we're definitely an excellent team; there's no doubt about that. As for our position compared to Paris right now, to be honest, I don't know. I know Paris is very strong; they've won the two most recent Champions League titles, which proves that, but I can't say whether the gap between us is large or small, or how close we are. The only thing that's certain is that we ourselves are very strong.

After the match at Anfield, there was quite a bit of criticism, including about your and the players' celebrations. How do you feel about those comments?

Criticism about what?

Many people said that your celebrations after the match were over the top. What's your take on that?

We won 3-0 at Anfield. What more do people want from us? Even if it were just a 1-0 win, our celebrations would be the same. We're here today; the players are focused on winning tomorrow's match. We train every day to win, and that's the only thing we need to focus on. Everything else is just noise from outside, and we've learned how to deal with it. We're genuinely very happy on the pitch, and the joy in the dressing room – you can hardly imagine it. Thank you.

Still on Guardiola's presence, will you invite him to the training ground or to the dressing room before the match?

I spoke with him after the Manchester United match. I don't know his schedule; I don't know if he'll come straight to the stadium or to the training ground. I have no idea. His appearance will be very interesting for the fans, but right now I don't have any further information.

Website AF đã ra mắt! Xem tin tức đầy đủ, bình luận, chi tiết trận đấu và thống kê trên máy tính. Truy cập: www.allfootballapp.com