Juanma Lillo returns to Manchester City coaching staff as Pep Guardiola finds a replacement for Enzo Maresca following move from Leicester City
- Juanma Lillo returns to the Manchester City coaching staff after leaving in 2022
- Lillo won two Premier League titles working alongside Pep Guardiola at City
- Enzo Maresca’s departure to Leicester City in June left Guardiola shorthanded
Juanma Lillo has rejoined Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City coaching staff after the treble winners lost assistant manager Enzo Maresca to Leicester City in June.
Lillo, 57, previously worked for City between 2020 and 2022, helping the club win two Premier League titles and a Carabao Cup.
He left the Etihad Stadium in June 2022 to take over as head coach at Al-Sadd of the Qatar Stars League.
He was replaced by former West Brom midfielder Maresca, but the Italian’s decision to take over as manager at Leicester has allowed Lillo to return to Manchester.
The Spaniard was previously Guardiola’s manager at Mexican club Dorados de Sinaloa and the Ciudad boss has expressed delight at linking up with Lillo once again.
Juanma Lillo has returned to the Etihad Stadium after a year in Qatar with Al-Sadd
Lillo, 57, previously managed Pep Guardiola at Mexican club Dorados de Sinaloa and worked alongside him for two seasons at Manchester City.
guardiola saying: ‘Juanma sees things that no one else in the game sees. She understands soccer to an incredible level, so she is the perfect person to work with me.
“I have always been inspired by him, his knowledge of football, his intelligence and his humanity distinguish him as a very special person in my life, and we have a shared ideology.
He is a friend, a colleague and an inspiration. I am so, so happy that he is back here at Manchester City.
‘His match preparation is absolutely incredible. I know he will raise the bar because he works so hard every day.
City take on Arsenal in the Community Shield at Wembley on Sunday before beginning their Premier League title defense against Burnley on Friday 11 August.
