"We Can't Let Holand Be Captain!" Manchester City Manager Reveals 'Absurd Reason': "He Scores Too Many Goals... Due to a Hidden Bench Rule"

*This content was translated by AI.

Enzo Maresca (46), the new manager of Manchester City, revealed a unique reason for not appointing 'main striker' Erling Haaland (26) as the new captain.

The UK's "The Sun" reported on the 11th (Korean time) that "Manager Maresca informed Haaland that he cannot become the team's new captain because he scores too many goals."

The media stated, "Haaland has been a key striker for Manchester City, pouring in 162 goals over four years since joining the club, and is currently part of the team's captaincy group. He was also the first player to send congratulations when Manager Maresca took over as Pep Guardiola's successor. However, his chances of officially taking over the captain's armband following Bernardo Silva have diminished."

This is due to a tactical instruction rule unique to Manager Maresca. He explained, "I established a rule from my time at Leicester City and Chelsea that in scoring situations, the captain must come to the bench to receive tactical instructions instead of celebrating. Celebrations are only allowed when the captain scores directly." He continued with a laugh, "If Haaland were captain, there would be a problem every time he scores. Can you even imagine?"

The new captain's armband is expected to be passed to Ruben Dias. This same system was activated during Manchester City's recent three-match Asian tour. Manager Maresca emphasized, "Even in the match on the 5th (Team K League), when the opening goal was scored, Dias came to the bench. There is always something that needs tactical adjustment, even for a short time of two or three minutes."

Manager Maresca plans to personally form the new captaincy group. Currently, the team's leadership group includes Dias and Haaland, along with Rodri, but Rodri's future remains uncertain due to transfer rumors linking him to Barcelona. Manager Maresca plans to include at least one English-born player in the captaincy group, with Phil Foden considered a strong candidate. Manager Maresca stated, "There is currently an open spot in the captaincy group. We need to wait and see on Rodri's situation."

Manager Maresca, who served as a coach during Manchester City's treble-winning season of 2022-2023, also revealed his close relationship with existing players. He added, "Right after taking over, Haaland was the first to contact me. Although the squad has been quickly reorganized, I have continued to communicate with remaining treble members such as Foden, Dias, Haaland, Rodri, Rico Lewis, and Jack Grealish."

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*This content was translated by AI.