Maresca backs Cherki's showboating but urges City star to find the right balance

Enzo Maresca has given his clearest assessment yet of Rayan Cherki’s role at Manchester City, endorsing the Frenchman’s flair while calling for greater positional discipline to unlock his full potential.

Speaking after City’s midweek win over AEK Athens, in which Cherki’s feint left defender Kervin Arriaga helpless for the third goal, Maresca paused noticeably when asked how he felt about his player’s tricks and flicks — a hesitation that spoke volumes.

“I like when the players are happy, for sure, 100 per cent,” Maresca said. “But I also like simple things. I think the most difficult thing in football is to do the easy things, don’t complicate. But sometimes you have players that are so good, like Rayan, that they need to do that. So I’m very happy when he’s doing that, also because I know that he’s happy.”

The City manager was quick to stress that he has no intention of coaching the showmanship out of Cherki, whose arrogance on the ball has already made him a favourite with supporters. The former Lyon midfielder’s willingness to attempt the audacious — including kick-ups in last season’s Carabao Cup final against Arsenal — is seen as inseparable from his talent.

“This is something that he needs to keep,” Maresca added. “He loves the ball, he wants the ball. This is something that I’m not going to remove from his skills, absolutely, at all. But also we need to find the right balance.”

For Maresca, that balance hinges on positioning. The City boss repeatedly returned to the idea of finding Cherki in the right areas of the pitch, arguing that when the 21-year-old receives the ball inside or around the box, the results speak for themselves.

“When we are able to contact with him in the right position, we create chances,” he said. “And when he’s in the right position inside the box, he creates chances for himself or scores goals. That’s why we are lucky that he’s with us and hopefully he can score more goals and more assists for us.”

Maresca’s comments reflect a broader philosophy that has defined his management style. After City’s win over Sunderland he made clear he would rather grind out a 1-0 than concede three in a 5-3 thriller, and his tenures at Leicester and Chelsea were built on structure rather than spectacle. The challenge with Cherki is integrating a player whose instincts are the opposite of conservative into a system that demands precision.

On current evidence, the early signs are encouraging. Cherki’s numbers in goals and assists have drawn praise from his manager, and the performances suggest the balance Maresca is searching for may already be within reach.