How Leicester will play under new manager Enzo Maresca

Leicester City have their new coach. They have their player exodus on going. They have a rebuild. Here is how Enzo Maresca will set up the refreshed Foxes.

Initially, I had lambasted the lack of experienced illustrated by this Italian head coach – I was concerned that the King Power club may have gone for a gamble rather than a guarantee – however, Maresca does have more than just an assistant coach on his CV. Interestingly, the coach has used different formations for the sides he has managed.

To be honest, it is difficult to say with certainty how the Foxes’ new head coach will play with the team. A lot depends upon the transfer business which is undertaken: needing a certain kind of player to perform a certain way to maximise his play style.

To help understand how the manager will set up his stall, let us have a brief look at Maresca’s career up until now, and then we shall analyse the two teams – formations, play style, etc. – they have managed. I will be using Sofascore for much of the formational information.

Leicester City’s cultured coach

Enzo Maresca represents the new era of head coaches. Managed by the best of the best, a thinker in and of themselves, and playing across many leagues and different formations; a footballer learning to coach. This is why I describe the Italian head coach as a cultured coach.

As per LCFC.com’s article on Maresca, as a player Leicester’s manager started in the AC Milan youth set up, then shifting to Cagliari, before making his English debut for West Bromwich Albion. However, his primary influences are Mediterranean.

Starring for Juventus in a team including Zinedine Zidane, a couple loans to fellow Italian sides, and then his big move. Maresca played as a critical midfielder for Spanish side Sevilla for four years; he won trophy after trophy with the exciting team.

His final years included spells at Palmero, Olympiacos, Hellas Verona, and Sampordia. So, it is easy to illustrate the influences on his footballing mind: positive, possession-based, a winning mentality, and of course more intricately tactical. These features are what likely made Maresca a target for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City as they looked to strengthen their development side.