The return of Enzo Maresca to King Power Stadium this weekend was silhouetted against the damp grey of a February afternoon loss to Norwich City. Naturally, the vision ignited a desperate, perhaps delusional, flickering of hope among the Leicester City faithful.
It was Maresca, after all, who performed the grand LCFC exorcism of 2023/24. He scrubbed away the stench of relegation with a relentless, possession-heavy philosophy that marched the Foxes back to the top flight with a record-breaking point tally.
The Pep Guardiola protege was the architect of Leicester's reinstalled structural integrity. A man who transformed a fractured squad into a cohesive, EFL Championship-winning machine.
The subsequent and consequent move to Chelsea felt like a natural ascent of a tactical visionary, despite leaving a bitter taste for the Blue Army. And, for a time, the gamble paid dividends.
Maresca secured European silverware and a return to the Champions League. Yet his Stamford Bridge tenure ended with an oddly premature New Year's Day sacking. Irrespective of trophies, he was undone by a fractious relationship with the hierarchy: allegedly exacerbated by his refusal to yield to the club's medical protocols and lingering whispers of a return to Manchester.
Why Enzo Maresca is unlikely to rejoin Leicester City
​However, supporters dreaming of a sentimental reunion on Filbert are likely misreading the tea leaves. While Maresca's presence in the stands (and his probable venture "backstage" to greet a squad and a directorate currently foundering in 22nd place) suggests a lingering affection, it does not signal a comeback.
"Saturday lunchtime saw Leicester face Norwich City in the Championship, with various reports claiming that Maresca was spotted at the King Power Stadium to watch the fixture.football.london
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To expect a coach of his pedigree to tether himself to an unqualified chairman, a dodgy director of football and a faltering project in tier two is to ignore his soaring trajectory. Maresca is not looking down: he is obviously looking north.
With Guardiola's historic tenure potentially nearing its final act, Maresca remains the premier candidate to inherit the Etihad throne. He is a man awaiting the crown of the "lead citizen"; an honour far beyond the reach of his former home.