Manchester City have made the brief journey from Hong Kong to South Korea, the place they face the Okay-League All-Stars on the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Wednesday within the second fixture of Enzo Maresca’s reign.
Maresca’s tenure started with a 1-1 draw towards Inter Milan on Saturday, earlier than Metropolis misplaced 3-1 on penalties. The Italian’s aspect will now deal with the most effective of the Okay-League, after which Atletico Madrid on Sunday, earlier than rounding off pre-season with the Neighborhood Defend towards Arsenal on August 16.
Midfielder Nico Gonzalez, who performed 45 minutes towards Inter, says the squad are steadily constructing an understanding of Maresca’s strategies following the departure of Pep Guardiola.
“We’re studying extra about Maresca’s strategies day-after-day,” he told the club’s official website. “We received’t know all the pieces that we might study throughout the 12 months earlier than the primary week of the season, however even when one 12 months has handed, we’ll at all times continue to learn. That’s soccer and that’s life.
“It’s not straightforward as a result of some gamers will come [back from the World Cup] the identical week because the Neighborhood Defend, however for us which were right here since day one it’s going to be simpler to be prepared for that match. The season is so lengthy so we have now to maintain being able to adapt to new issues that Enzo asks us.”
The Spaniard says there are echoes of Guardiola’s method in his successor’s concepts, including: “I’ve been having fun with our periods with Enzo. Clearly there are variations to final 12 months with Pep however there are plenty of similarities in the way in which we’re taking part in. It’s the identical complete thought of excessive stress and getting the ball as fast as potential and doing plenty of passes. It’s necessary that we preserve the identical degree as we’ve been taking part in the final years and with that ambition. I feel these are the concepts of Enzo and I’m loving it.”
Staff Information for Manchester Metropolis v Okay-League All-Stars
Rodri stays unavailable for Metropolis having undergone a minor again operation after serving to Spain win the World Cup, whereas Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki, Marc Guehi, Elliot Anderson, James Trafford and Nico O’Reilly are additionally lacking as they proceed their prolonged breaks. John Stones, Bernardo Silva and Nathan Ake have all left the membership this summer time, with Elliot Anderson arriving from Nottingham Forest as Metropolis’s standout signing to date.
Regardless of these absences, Maresca can nonetheless name upon loads of high quality, with Josko Gvardiol, Savinho, Phil Foden and Antoine Semenyo all set to be concerned once more after that includes towards Inter.
The Okay-League All-Stars squad can be led by Chung Jung-yong, head coach of reigning league champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, alongside Chung Kyung-ho of Gangwon FC. Jordan worldwide Yazan Al-Arab, highly-rated FC Seoul teenager Son Jeong-beom and former Premier League midfielder Ki Sung-yueng – who performed for Swansea Metropolis, Sunderland and Newcastle – are all in competition to function.
Anticipated line-ups for Manchester Metropolis v Okay-League All-Stars
Okay-League All Stars: Hyeon-woo; Younger-gwon, Jin-seop, Joo-sung, Tae-hwan; Sung-yeung, Quickly-min, Bojanic; Farias, Cesinha, Mota
Manchester Metropolis: Donnarumma; Lewis, Khusanov, Gvardiol, Mfuni; Kovacic, Reijnders; Savinho, Foden, Semenyo; Mubama
watch Manchester Metropolis v Okay-League All-Stars: TV and on-line streams
Manchester Metropolis v Okay-League All Stars kicks off at 12:00 UK time on Wednesday. The match will not be on free-to-air TV within the UK however can be proven reside worldwide, besides in South Korea, through Metropolis’s subscription streaming service, CITY+, accessible from £9.99 per thirty days or £34.99 yearly.
Stats for Manchester Metropolis v Okay-League All Stars
- This would be the first-ever assembly between Manchester Metropolis and a Okay-League All-Stars aspect
- The Okay-League All-Stars have beforehand confronted Barcelona, Tottenham, Juventus, Atletico Madrid and Newcastle United in pre-season friendlies
- They beat Newcastle 1-0 of their most up-to-date such outing in July 2025, and are searching for back-to-back wins for the primary time
- Metropolis drew 1-1 with Inter Milan of their pre-season opener on Saturday earlier than shedding 3-1 on penalties
Prediction for Manchester Metropolis v Okay-League All Stars
Going through a consultant aspect full of the Okay-League’s greatest gamers ought to present a stern take a look at for Metropolis’s youthful travelling squad, and one each head coaches will need to use to encourage attacking, front-footed soccer. Count on a decent, high-scoring contest, however Metropolis’s superior general high quality ought to nearly see them via.
Prediction: Okay-League All Stars 2-3 Manchester Metropolis
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