Leicester City boss Enzo Maresca makes Man City Treble claim and gives Pep Guardiola verdict

Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca has admitted that it would mean more to him to win the Championship title this forthcoming season than it did to help Manchester City clinch the Treble last term.

The Italian left his post as assistant coach at City last month to replace Dean Smith at the King Power Stadium. Maresca wanted a return to management after leaving Parma back in 2021.

Leicester's nine-year stay in the Premier League came to a surprise end last term, meaning they are under stern pressure to bounce back to the top flight at the very first attempt. They are the pre-season favourites with the bookmakers to win the Championship.

However, as so many who have dropped out of the Premier League in the past have discovered, bouncing back at the first attempt it is a far easier said than done task. It is probably why Maresca, who has been joined at the King Power Stadium by former City goalkeeper Willy Caballero, who has taken the assistant manager's post, would take more pleasure from winning the title than he did when helping City scoop three trophies last season.

READ MORE: City have a transfer tax that United are years away from

Asked if winning the Championship title would mean more, Maresca, as quoted by LeicestershireLive, said: "Probably yes, even if last year we achieved the Treble.

"You know better than me how difficult that is in England, something I believe only (Manchester) United have achieved before, so it is something that took a lot. When you reach an important target it's always a different feeling.

"So last year I was very happy with that but I will be even more happy if we achieve our target this year."

Maresca, who has so far added Harry Winks and Conor Coady to his squad this summer, will no