Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca says it is “not easy” for players to hit form early in a season, agreeing with Erling Haaland’s view that World Cup participants started jaded. He makes the comments ahead of City’s Champions League opener against Porto.
Maresca links the slow start to the impact of the World Cup and the difficulty of returning to peak performance quickly. Both outlets report that the discussion centers on how fatigue affects readiness and early-season sharpness for players who recently took part in the World Cup.
While the reports do not add contrasting details about tactics or team selection, they present the same core message: City’s early-season form is shaped by players’ condition after international duty. The focus remains on the challenge of regaining rhythm rather than on any specific blame or dispute.
