Champions League: ‘We Are Close’ –Maresca Defiant Despite Manchester City Fall To PSG
Retold by Oddsrama · 15 October 2026
Manchester City suffered a stinging 4-2 defeat at home to PSG in a Champions League thriller, but manager Enzo Maresca walked away convinced his side is knocking on the door of genuine European contention. The match marked City's first outing at the Etihad since the club's financial rules breach verdict, with former boss Pep Guardiola watching on from the directors' box alongside chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak in a show of unity heading into the club's ongoing appeal.
Erling Haaland netted twice to eclipse Sergio Agüero's Champions League scoring record for City, but it came in vain after PSG raced into a commanding three-goal lead by half-time. Despite the first-half collapse, City mounted a spirited fightback after the break—something Maresca seized upon as a positive to build from. The manager praised PSG's dynamic pressing game and admitted his team lost balance early on, but refused to let the loss derail his optimism about their European prospects.
Maresca's defiant tone suggests City will be dangerous when their shape improves. He acknowledged the difficulty of facing elite European opposition but pointed to the second-half response as evidence his players have the character to compete at this level. For punters, City's tendency to leak goals in the opening stages is worth noting—they've now shown they can score against top competition, but defensive stability will determine whether they can challenge for the prize. The looming Premier League sanctions add another layer of uncertainty, but Maresca's messaging is clear: City are closer than the scoreline suggests.
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